


Finding Love

by Wolfrider14



Series: Saiyan Love [1]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, Heartbreak, M/M, Mpreg, OOCness, Saiyan Culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-05-15 22:09:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 60
Words: 206,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5802055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfrider14/pseuds/Wolfrider14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After an unexpected mating with the Prince of all Saiyans, Goku was left heartbroken. When he sees his youngest son being abuse, he knows he has to find a way to get him and his son to safety. A wish to the dragon is just what Goku needs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How Did This Happen?

Goku held a sobbing and shivering Goten to his chest. The chilly breeze that ran through the forest the two were in made the shivering worse. The full blooded saiyan had his own tears streaming down his face as he tried to comfort his distraught son. One of his large hands rubbed through messy black spikes as he pulled the boy closer in his embrace.

“It's okay, son. We'll be okay.” Despite all the emotions running through him, Goku’s words came out calm and steady. A thick black monkey tail wrapped around the demi-saiyan’s and smoothed over the fur. The child in his arms shuddered again as his crying drained his energy. It wasn't long before Goten was asleep in his father’s arms.

The young man shifted the exhausted form in his arms so Goten’s head rested over Goku's heart. The still crying father gently brushed the tear trails off the innocent face before wiping his own face. The saiyan shifted against the tree branch he was sitting on. The branches that surrounded them provided a shield from the cruel outside world.

Goku leaned his head back against the trunk of the tree and vacantly stared through the leaves at the night sky. His onyx eyes closed in grief as he cuddled his poor cub closer to his warmth to protect the boy from further pain.

‘How did it come to this? It's not like I asked Vegeta. He came to find me not the other way around! And Chi-Chi! How could she!? I can understand myself, but Goten?!’

~flashback~

Goku dunked his head under the cold water of the mountain lake. The temperature did wonders to soothe him as he swam naked toward a small waterfall. He broke through the surface for a large gulp of air and rested his arms and head on a smooth wet rock.

The large martial artist had been feeling strange for the past two weeks. An uncomfortable heat heat and an itch was making his skin feel too tight. The heat was making his thought process foggy, and bringing up feelings that were lurking in the back of his mind. The heat also put things in different prospectives as well.

For example, Chi-Chi. His oh so “loving” wife.

Goku let out a sigh at the thought of the raven haired female. Ever since he had died the first time, the woman had treated him more like a pet than a husband. The saiyan never felt a meaningful connection with her, but she provided him with two wonderful sons. 

After the fight with Buu, Chi-Chi became more controlling with not only Goku but with Goten as well. The younger boy was more saiyan than his older brother, and the Ox-princess hated that. The full blooded saiyan was absolutely thrilled that his youngest was more like him, and he was already teaching the boy what he knew about saiyans.

Goku's tail gave a happy wag at that thought. The fusion with Vegeta gave the tall warriors memories of his home planet and its culture. The knowledge filled a gap within him that he never knew he had, and to be able to pass that knowledge along to his offspring…was indescribable.

He also felt closer to his prince. Goku have always admired the older man, but now it seems like his emotions his lead to full-blown love. While they shared one body, their souls touched. The large saiyan felt things for Vegeta that he never felt with his wife, but he kept his feeling to himself. The older saiyan finally seemed to somewhat like Goku, and he didn’t want to risk loosing that.

Anyway, this feeling was making being around Chi-Chi almost unbearable. Goku had caught himself growling and snarling at the woman, and after the fifth time, the woman kicked him out of the house. The saiyan didn't mind too much as his temper had drastically improved, but the itch and heat refused to leave him.

The sudden sound of feet touching down on the lakeshore pulled the man out of this thoughts. The spiky haired head looked over to the source of the sound to see his fellow full blooded saiyan and prince. Vegeta was standing in the same outfit he fought Buu in, and the sight of the tight material stretched over large muscles made Goku’s mouth water.

“Hey, Vegeta! What brings you here?” The happy go lucky man called out as he waved. The flamed haired man didn't respond as Goku swam closer, but he did glare.

“Did you forget, Kakarot!?” Vegeta snarled out at his only remaining subject. “You were supposed to meet me for training all last week and this!” The younger man winced internally as he brought his hand to scratch at the scar on the back of his head. He was quick to put an apologetic look on his face.

“Sorry, Vegeta. I guess I did forget. Let me dry off and we can spar.” Goku attempted to placate the pissed off prince. Vegeta growled as he turned his head in the other direction, and crossed his arms over his chest. The chestnut tail around the prince’s waist twitched as well. Taking that as an affirmative answer, the spiky haired male was quick to get out of the lake. With a quick surge of ki, Goku was dry and reaching for his orange gi pants.

As he pulled them on, the heat he had been feeling came back stronger then ever. He gasped as a sudden cramp started in his lower belly, and well muscled arms wrapped around his middle. He bit his lip to keep from alerting Vegeta to his dilemma, not wanting to make the other any more agitated then he already was. A cool wind brought some relief, but the earth raised saiyan had no time to enjoy it.

A vicious snarl made Goku's head snap over to his companion, and what he saw made him freeze. The saiyan prince had a feral look on his face as he stalked over to the taller man. Goku tried to back away from him, but Vegeta growled as he pounced. The sudden weight was enough to knock the spiky haired man onto his back.

“Vegeta? What's wro-” Firm lips cut off the question as the older saiyan kissed him. An agile tongue plunged into the warrior’s mouth, making it a bit difficult to breathe. Vegeta pinned Goku's hands on the ground as he moved to straddle his waist. The chestnut tail snaked around its black counterpart, making both saiyans moan.

Goku’s eyes widened in shock. His heart swelled with a strange warmth. He had no idea what was happening, but a scent wafted around him. His already hazy thinking suffered under the onslaught of sensations, and saiyan instinct rose up. The musk and clove smell clouded what reason he had left, and he submitted under the dominant above him.

Both fighters fell into a trance as scent, touch, and taste filled their senses. Tongues twisted in a mock battle that the Prince easily won, and he let out a groan as the larger saiyan sucked on the wet muscle.

Vegeta broke the kiss with a soft snarl. The prince began to scrape his elongated fangs over the younger’s jaw and neck. Small beads of blood bloomed after a hard score over Goku's right shoulder. A hot tongue lapped up the crimson fluid, and the shorter saiyan moaned at the taste. He sucked on the shallow cut for more of the addictive taste.

The older man ripped his gloves off after he released the other’s hands. Clever fingers groped massive pecks and played with nipples. The spiky haired man dug his fingers into the soft moss that was currently serving as a bed for the couple. The prince ran his hands down over the rippling muscles of his partner, and snarled when cloth blocked further access.

Vegeta sat up and glared at the offending garment with his tail lashing behind him. He moved further down the larger body to settle on burly thighs. Without anymore thought, the shorter male ripped off both Goku's clothes and his own. Both saiyans were hard, and their lengths brushed against each other.

While his partner gasped at the sudden feeling of skin on skin, the younger male remained in a submissive pose. The itch that had been driving Goku crazy was slowly being soothed with the actions of the his elder. The prince purred when he took in the picture of earth’s hero.

Goku had lifted his arms up over his head to stretch out underneath other saiyan. The black tail was laying limp to the side save for tiny twitches at the tip. His head was leaning to the left, exposing the right side of his throat. He kept his gaze away from the prince’s face, and arched up to rub against the older man.

Vegeta leered down at his partner as he moved between Goku's legs. His hands hooked under the other's knees and pushed long legs to the warrior’s chest. The move exposed a tiny, pink hole that was dribbling a clear fluid. The prince stared at the sight as he licked his lips, and he dove down for a taste.

Goku shouted when he felt that tongue wiggle inside of his entrance. His large frame jerked and twitched as his dominant tasted and stretched him out. The chestnut tail wrapped around the base of the spiky haired man's erection. A whine of protest came from the larger male just as the pleasure was about to make the warrior cum.

Finally, Vegeta couldn't wait any longer. He sat up, positioned his cock, and plunged into tight heat. Twin shouts came from the two saiyans as their mating began in earnest. The Prince of all Saiyans didn't give time for his partner to adjust to his formidable size, but Goku didn't seem to mind too much. He used what little room he had to meet the hard thrusts.

This wasn't a gentle coupling, it was pure animalistic mating. The younger saiyan managed to free his legs from the flame haired man’s hold to wrap around narrow hips. He used the new leverage to make the alpha saiyan go deeper inside his channel. Goku grabbed Vegeta’s shoulders and raked bloody trails down his back.

The pain made the older man thrust harder and lean down to lick and suck at the spiky haired warrior’s right shoulder. A small trail of Vegeta’ blood came close to the submissive’s nose. The spicy scent beckoned him for a taste. The flat of Goku's tongue gathered the blood making him moan at the taste, but before he could get more blood, the tail holding his release at bay let go.

All it took was one single stroke of the furry appendage for the younger male to erupt in orgasm. The larger saiyan arched as bliss drowned everything else out. An animalistic howl came out as he painted both of their abs in white. When he arched, it pressed his shoulder against Vegeta’s mouth. 

As the sheath around his cock tightened, it pushed the young prince over the edge. His partner shuddered underneath him as thick seed filled Goku to the brim. He sank his fangs into the juncture where the spiky haired man's neck met his shoulder. Hot, spicy blood flooded his mouth, and the older man swallowed several mouthfuls of it. 

Both full blooded saiyans collapsed in a tangle of limbs. Vegeta lapped at the wound he made as the afterglow made both males relax into the soft moss. However, the moment was not meant to last.

The saiyan prince was the first to come back to his senses, and he violently pulled himself free of his partner’s embrace making Goku hiss once the softening erection left his sore hole. Vegeta looked at the other in horror before anger came over him.

“What the hell did you do to me, you bastard?! I should rip your heart out for this!” Teeth were bared in a threatening manor as the earth raised warrior lifted himself up on his elbows. The shorter male fisted his hands and his tail puffed up like an angry cat’s as it thrashed behind him. He snarled when the other man sat up, wincing as he did so.

“Vegeta, what are you talking about? I didn't do anything. You jumped me!” Poor Goku looked up at his elder in confused hurt. The younger man wasn't completely sure why the other was so angry at him. He thought his prince had feelings for him as well, but it didn't seem to be the case.“I should be asking you what you did to me!” 

Vegeta blurred out of sight for a second only to bury his fist in Goku's stomach. The rage behind the punch made it more powerful and caused the taller saiyan to crash into the rock beside the waterfall. The black haired man didn't have any time to recover before the livid fighter wrapped a hand around his throat in an iron grip.

“You know very well what I'm talking about! I don't know how you did it, but I would NEVER stoop so low as to sleep with a useless moron like YOU! I have tolerated a lot from you, Kakarot, but this is the last time! If I EVER see your pathetic excuse for a saiyan warrior, I'll end your existence on the SPOT!” With that said, the prince punched Goku in the face one last time before he blasted away.

Goku stayed in that position for quite some time as he felt his heart break.

After he somewhat cleaned up and put on what little clothes he had left, he arrived home to see Chi-Chi slap a crying Goten. The full blooded saiyan stood in the doorway in shock as his wife screamed at his son.

“I TOLD YOU TO FINISH STUDYING! I REFUSE TO ALLOW ONE OF MY SONS TO BE ANYTHING LIKE THEIR USELESS BRUTE OF A FATHER!” The woman reached around and harshly fisted a small black tail that was limp behind the boy. “NOW THIS THING IS BACK!? NO, I WILL NOT HAVE A SON WITH ONE OF THESE DISGUSTING THINGS!” More words were said, but all the elder saiyan in the room registered was the terrified look on Goten's face.

A red haze washed over his vision, and the only thought in his mind was to protect his cub. Once everything finally cleared, he found the demi-saiyan in his arms out deep in the woods. The boy was clinging to his father as he cried his eyes out. Through his sobs, the concerned father was able to get more of the story out.

Goten was training with Trunks when his tail grew back. The other boy got extremely jealous and said some very hurtful things that made Goten fly home crying. However, once he got there, Chi-Chi was mad that he hadn't finished his homework. Seeing the new tail made her slap the child as if it was his fault. The woman wanted to cut the appendage off right away, but the child refused to let her do it. That's when Goku came in.

~end flashback~

Now Goku was waiting for his son to wake up. The red haze that overcame his mind made him suspicious about something, and he was dreading to find out what it actually was. Whether his suspicions were correct or not, he needed to take him and his cup and get off the planet as soon as possible.

The young warrior finally dried his eyes as he watched the stars planning his next move. If this was any indication on how he and his young cub was going to be treated, then he desired to be with other saiyans. Only problem was that Vegeta and Trunks were the only ones. Gohan was too human for this plan, but he would be fine if he remained on Earth.

Once Goten woke up, it was time to search for the Dragon Balls.


	2. Chapter 2

It was early dawn when Goten started to wake up. The time the adult saiyan spent up in the night confirmed his suspension. His ki was beginning to fluctuate and pool in his lower stomach. When his tail came back, the tall warrior went into heat, and the mating with the prince had left him with cub.

That's right, the strongest in the universe was a carrier. Carriers knew within twenty four hours if they were expecting due to the uniqueness of saiyan biology. Any warrior needed to know as soon as possible so they wouldn't risk their health or the health of their unborn cub.

It was one of the reasons Goku was so strong was that he never found an alpha powerful enough that he felt could protect him if he got pregnant. The only one that the young saiyan could ever consent to submit to was Vegeta.

Vegeta… he was going to be livid when he found out, and it wouldn't take him long to find out. With how angry he was after the taller man’s heat, the prince might actually kill the younger saiyan after the child was born, and the spiky haired man refused to give up his child without a fight. There was only one thing Goku could think of to do, and it was something that had been in the back of his mind ever since he started to teach Goten. 

He was going to wish his home planet back, and hope Shenron could revive some of his race when he did. He was tired of being alone in a sea of humans with only the arrogant prince and their halfbreed children. Not that there was anything wrong with the children, but he wanted to be among his own kind.

The full blooded saiyan turned tried eyes down to his son, and met with equally tired eyes. Goku gave his son a weak smile as the boy looked around in confusion. It took a few minutes for the events of yesterday to catch up to the young cub, and once they did, a cloud of depression settled over the two spiky haired males.

“Daddy?” Watery black eyes looked up at his father. He took a deep breath as he gathered his thoughts. “Can we not go back home? I don't want to go back. I hate it there. She yells at me all the time, and she hits me when I don't finish my work. Gohan didn't believe me when I told him…” The half saiyan child looked so miserable that it broke his father’s heart, and cemented his decision to leave the planet. The man gathered his cub close to his heart in a hug.

“Don't worry, son. We are NEVER going back there again. We are going to bring our home back.” Goku’s firm words made the child go limp with relief. He nodded with his father’s words. The full blood tilted his miniature carbon copy’s face to look him in the eye. “Come on, let's go.”

He purred to his cub, and got a nuzzle along the side of his cheek in return. The sound helped to keep from either one of the saiyans from loosing control of their tears. Goten’s tiny tail wrapped around his father's arm as he buried his face in the shelter of Goku's shoulder.

After the two had a quick breakfast, Goku and Goten set out with the Dragon Radar.

It took some time to gather all seven of the amber colored orbs and find a place far away from the rest of Earth’s special forces. Goku knew as soon as the dragon was summoned, anyone who could feel ki would be on their way. He only hoped he could have his wishes granted before they arrived.

Tall rock spires dotted the barren landscape. The desert was completely void of life save for the two males staring down on the ground. The seven balls glowed where they were resting, waiting for the words that would call the dragon to be spoken. With Goten held tight in one of his arms, the saiyan took a deep breath and held his free hand over the balls. 

“Eternal Dragon! By your name I summon you forth…Shenron!” The sky darkened as the golden glow of the mystical orbs steadily grew brighter and brighter until a light shot into the sky. It twisted and snaked around until it faded to reveal a large green dragon with bright red eyes. The large head of the creature lowered until close enough to hear the words of his summoner.

“YOU THAT HAVE SUMMONED ME, I SHALL GRANT YOU THREE WISHES.” The deep, booming voice was felt all the way down to the two saiyans’ bones. Goku felt the rising energies of his friends flaring up in response to the appearance of the dragon. He needed to hurry if he wanted to get away from Vegeta before he found them.

“Shenron, for my first two wishes, I want the planet Vegetasei and any saiyans that did not share the same views as Frieza back into existence.” The dragon didn't respond for a few minutes. He lowered his head further and took a long look at the full blooded saiyan.

Goku never looked away from those large red eyes despite how nervous he was getting with how close the others were getting. When he registered how close the saiyan prince was, the spiky haired male’s expression turned pleading. Shenron let out a deep breath that ruffled hair and clothes.

“AS YOU KNOW, I CANNOT REVIVE A SOUL THAT HAS BEEN DEAD FOR ONE FULL YEAR.” The father and son’s hopeful faces fell, and Shenron’s expression seemed to soften as he looked at the two. “HOWEVER, FOR ALL THE SELFLESS ACTIONS YOU HAVE DONE FOR THIS WORLD AND THE UNIVERSE I CAN MAKE AN ALLOWANCE FOR THESE REQUESTS.

“I SHALL GRANT YOU THESE WISHES, BUT NOT ALL SAIYANS WILL BE REVIVED. I HAVE THE POWER ONLY TO BRING BACK A FEW HUNDRED.” Goku relaxed and nodded in agreement with the large dragon. Red eyes glowed for a few minutes before dimming back. “WHAT IS YOUR LAST WISH, YOUNG ONE?” 

Goten looked over his father's shoulder and let out a terrified yelp when he felt a ki full of anger almost on top of them. He shrank down to hide from the threat that was coming. Goku looked behind him with wide eyes as Vegeta came into view. Fear lanced up his spine and, he pulled his cub closer to his chest as he shouted to the dragon.

“I wish Goten and I were on Vegetasei right now!” The warrior squeezed his eyes shut as he curled around his son and the small bit of ki that was growing in his belly. The world suddenly vanished around Goku and Goten. The full blooded held tight to his son with his arms and tail when the sudden dizzying rush of reappearing on a planet washed over them.

When Goku opened his eyes, he took in his new surroundings. The sky was a cross between burnt orange and dark red. The clouds a slight gray that were scattered here and there with two suns in the sky. Other than the sky, everything else looked very close to Earth. The scenery helped both saiyans relax from the danger they almost were in.

Goku looked up at the sky, and hoped that Vegeta didn't hear his last wish. After the prince broke his heart, he wanted to get away from him. He felt a bit bad for leaving Gohan behind, but that boy was starting his life with Videl. He'll be okay, the older saiyan rationalized.

Goten wiggled a bit in his father’s arms. The man let out a slight chuckle as he allowed his son to float out of his arms. The childlike wonder on the demi’s face made the older saiyan smile. Two black tails softly swished in contentment as they explored the plains they had appeared in from the air. 

The cub laughed as he twirled around his father, but he never went farther then an arm’s length. Goku kept an eye on his son as they traveled to a city he spotted once he as ascended in the air. As they got closer to the edge of the metropolis, the details of the buildings came into focus.

There were buildings that looked like the ones on earth, but every here and there, there were ones that looked like white rockets with large blue windows. All and all, the city itself wasn't that impressive. However, the castle that loomed behind it drew attention. It sprawled out in the very center of the city, it was massive.

From a distance, it looked like a mountain, but upon closer inspection, the details of the different towers came into view. The material the castle was constructed of looked like jasper, and it shined under the duel suns. The large structure almost looked like flames with the different heights of the towers and spires.

Goku was so taken with the scenery, that he didn't notice several approaching ki signatures. 

Goten was looking at one of the buildings when a rough hand grabbed the back of his gi. He let out a yell as he was pull down to the eye level of a man with black and yellow saiyan armor. He had a shaggy looking head full of hair that almost covered the blue screen of his scouter. A grim face with a scar over his right eye growled at the young cub.

“I've never seen you before. What are you doing here?” The suddenness of being grabbed and the unknown saiyan in front of him startled the boy so much that he let out a high pitched whine as he curled into himself. His black tail came up between his legs to keep from being grabbed.

A sudden beeping prevented the saiyan warrior from asking anything else, and the numbers on the display caused a look of disbelief to appear in his face. It was his only warning before a booted foot kicked him on the side of the head. Goten was immediately released, and he rushed over to his father that was snarling at the grim faced man and his four fellow warriors. 

The enraged father pushed his cub behind him as he faced the threat to his child. His tail lashed above the boy’s head from where he was hiding behind one of the full blooded saiyan’s leg. Goku bared his elongated fangs at the five men as he shifted into a defensive stance. His instincts were closer to the surface now that he was carrying.

The man that had grabbed the boy looked at the tall saiyan in shock before he narrowed his eyes. He took a deep breath to scent the snarling saiyan. A subtle sweet smell wafted in the breeze made him growl with desire before he caught himself. Sharp black eyes looked at the beta again, and he swallowed hard when he couldn't detect the scent of another dominant on him.

Any submissive that had been bred was a very appealing target for any alpha without a mate, especially one as powerful as Goku. The stronger the beta, the more irresistible the scent. The shaggy haired saiyan sneezed as a breeze brought more of that delicious smell, and he suppressed his urge to pounce on the slightly smaller man, and tried to think how to proceed.

He pushed the button on his scouter and watched as it gave him three different power level numbers. He slowly made a discreet movement with his tail tip, and the rest of his men backed away. He touched the scouter again to open a communication link.

“Sir, we have a something here you need to see.” Another snarl covered the response the leader received, and the saiyan froze in the most nonthreatening position he could. Both full blooded saiyans stared at each other as one waited for his commanding officer, and the other for any move towards his cub.

Goku's onyx eyes flickered from the shaggy haired man in front of him and the other four standing yards away. With the lack of movement, the on edge warrior's instincts allowed for more rational thinking. The spiky haired man’s teeth were covered by his lip. He straightened his stance as he curled his tail around his son’s back.

Goten fisted his hands in orange gi pants as he looked around his father's leg to watch the stand off. His tail wrapped around the larger one touching his back. Other then Vegeta and his father, he had never seen another full saiyan before. The armor made the warriors look more intimidating, but now that he had calmed a bit, the child could tell all of the other saiyans save for Goku had lower ki levels then he did.

The demi-saiyan relaxed, and that made the spiky haired man relax a bit more. A low pitched rumble came from deep in Goku's chest. The sound made the cub look up and rub his cheek against the leg he was holding onto. With the protective carrier calming down, the first saiyan cleared his throat.

“I apologize, beta. I was unaware you and your cub were in the area.” Goku tilted his head in acknowledgement before the other continued. “We have been sent by our king to investigate the planet after…whatever happened.” The armored man scratched at the back of his neck when he trailed off, and his tail twitched from where it was wrapped around his waist.

“I believe I am responsible for that.” Goku admitted to the saiyan warrior. His words made the other full bloods look at him in shock. “I will explain to the king when I see him. I assume that is where you want to take us, right?” A dumbfounded nod was his response, and the spiky haired male bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

The tension in the air suddenly skyrocketed when the wind shifted again. A tall, bald headed saiyan with brown and black armor stiffened before launching himself at the young beta. Goku was almost taken by surprise, but he managed to kick his attacker away. The shaggy haired leader was about to tackle the bald male, but he got distracted with one of the others behind him.

The tall dominate snarled in anger as he surged to his feet. The orange clad saiyan looked over at the other saiyans to see his scent driving them all over the edge, and he cursed under his breath when he realized that he would have to fight his way out of this. He threw his hands up to conjure an orb of ki, but it sputtered out before it had a chance to form. 

Goten, seeing his father's predicament, stepped forward with a snarl and shot the bald saiyan with a ki shot of his own. The energy forced the alpha into a building, knocking him out. The boy turned on the rest of the alphas that stared hungrily at Goku, the cub narrowed his eyes before firing again.

This blast hit saiyan with a short mohawk, but the energy didn't knock him out. The dominant fired a blast back that Goku deflected before it could hit his son. This distraction allowed one of the others to circle around behind both spiky haired males. A sudden weight knocked Goku off his feet to the ground. He let out a snarl as he tried to fling his attacker off.

The beta’s ki was hovering close to zero, so he didn't have the strength to free himself. The demi-saiyan leapt onto the alpha’s back to pull him off his father. The rest of the alphas started to close in while Goten and Goku wrestled with an over zealous dominant. 

The cub was finally knocked to the side, and the beta was pinned underneath the saiyan warrior. Terror began to claw at the submissive as he realized that there was no way he could overpower the male in top of him, but he refused to let his fear show. More snarls and growls grew closer as the rest of the dominants came to help pin the spiky haired saiyan in place.

Goku snapped his fangs at the alpha that was straddling his waist, but he ignored the threat as he pulled at the orange gi that hid his prize. A whimper came from the pinned man when part of his shirt was ripped off, and a hand rested over his lower belly. Onyx eyes widened, and the beta twisted to get away from the touch.

Tears and whines went unnoticed as the male began to gather ki in his hand over the spot where Goku’s unborn cub lay. He tried to pull any of his limbs free to get the saiyan warrior off him, but he was held too tightly.

“What the HELL are you doing?!” A deep, familiar voice boomed above the four saiyans on the ground. A vicious snarl came from the direction of the voice, and ki blasts knocked the alphas pinning Goku down away. Goten rushed over and kicked the male that had pinned his father down in the gut before he was grabbed by a black tail.

The poor beta was shaken with how close he was to loosing the small spark of ki that he carried under his heart, and he buried his face in his son’s spikes as two more saiyans landed between them and the other three. By now, almost every single saiyan was running on instincts.

One of the two newcomers came over to Goku and Goten and wrapped them in an embrace to move them further from the inevitable fight. The panicked submissive fought until the voice from earlier whispered in his ear.

“It's alright, little brother. Father is taking care of it.”Goku froze and looked up to see his smirking older brother Raditz. He blinked in shock as the long haired saiyan chuckled. “Don't look so shocked, Kakarot. I know we didn't meet on the best of circumstances, but I won't allow you to be left defenseless with a group of alphas.”

The spiky haired man looked over to see another mirror image of himself wiping the floor with his attackers, and in the back of his mind, he wondered why almost all the saiyans he met looked similar to him.


	3. Chapter 3

By now the three were a fair distance from the sounds of fighting. Raditz looked over at the fight, watching as an angered father beat his son’s would be rapists into the ground. In a way, it was refreshing to watch his father take out pent up aggression on those that nearly traumatized the submissive standing next to him.

The taller man turned back to his brother once he was sure things would be fine without him. Seeing Goku again after the way things were left last time made the alpha very thankful. Although he knew it wasn't the appropriate time and place for this, the long haired warrior couldn't wait any longer to beseech his brother.

“Kakarot, I'm sorry about what I did to you all those years ago. I know now that I was wrong. I'm hoping we can talk about things later, but is there a chance that you will ever forgive me for my dishonorable actions?” The elder of the two bowed his head as he waited.

Goku shifted the weight of his son in his arms as he observed Raditz. The taller of the two really seemed to regret what he had done, and seemed resigned to not be given forgiveness. He was silent as he thought about things. This was what he had wished for, and he hoped he would run into his brother again. He never got to know his blood family, and now he had the chance to. In the end, his good nature made the decision for him.

“Yes, Raditz. I can forgive you. We will need to talk first, but I do want my brother in my life.” The beta knew he said the right thing as he was enveloped in another hug. Goten squirmed as he was squished between the two. The shorter saiyan chuckled as he pulled back from his brother. “Sorry, son.”

Raditz did a double take when he saw the cub. Sharp eyes took in all of the demi-saiyan's features before he glanced back over at the fight. He tilted his head before he let out a bark of laughter. Goku looked at the taller male in puzzlement as he shook his head. He gave his two companions a bemused smirk.

“Father's genetics are very strong it seems,” was all he said before he was laughing again. Goku and Goten looked at each other in confusion before looking back at Raditz. He managed to compose himself enough to respond. “You'll see as soon as he gets done.”

“Dad, who is he? He smells nice,” the boy said as he pointed at the long haired saiyan. His big eyes looked at the new comer with an innocent curiosity that had Raditz's breath catching in his throat. Goku chuckled as he rubbed a hand through the wild spikes on his son’s head.

“That would be your uncle, Raditz. He’s my older brother, Goten.” The beta responded, and the child looked back over at the other full blooded saiyan. A tiny tail wrapped around his father's arm as he studied his new uncle. 

Just then, a grumbling could be heard accompanied by a set of stomping footsteps. The three looked over to see a saiyan with green and black armor in the same style as Vegeta wore except there were two green plates that went over the saiyan's outer thighs. A black tail was wrapped around his waist. He wore black spandex pants with red leg warmers over his boots. His arms were bare save for matching red arm warmers, and a red headband was tied around the saiyan's forehead.

Goku felt like he was looking into a mirror. The only difference was the scar on the other’s left cheek, and the fiercer look on his face. The youngest full blood instantly knew this man was his father, and absentmindedly acknowledged his elder brother's words. The long haired saiyan put a hand on his shoulder.

“Kakarot, this is our father. Bardock.” There was pride in Raditz’s voice that made Goku curious. Goten clung to the submissive saiyan as the dominant came closer. He instinctively kept very still as sharp and slightly feral eyes roamed over his form. Goku wanted to ask his brother more, but the still angry look in his father's eyes made him hold his tongue.

The older saiyan came right up to the beta and his son and looked over both. The boy just looked a bit ruffled. He didn't have any injuries whatsoever, but the submissive saiyan looked a bit worse. His shirts had been ripped off, and the belt holding his pants up was a bit loose. A few scrapes appeared here and there, but over all, Goku was unharmed.

When Bardock got close enough for his youngest to catch his scent, he growled making the beta whine in response. Raditz took a step back from his brother, but not before gently taking his nephew into his arms. Goten didn't put up and resistance as he watched his father and grandfather. 

As Goku got closer to his father, he started to purr as a feeling of safety came with the scent of his alpha father, and the older saiyan purred in response. A hand threaded through the black spikes of the beta’s head to pull him into his father's arms. The slightly small of the pair purred a bit louder in response.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, but once the submissive saiyan began to yawn, the elder pulled back. He took another look at the beta and the cub. Goten was yawning in Raditz’s arms, and Goku looked like he was about to fall asleep on his feet. Bardock gave his younger son a disapproving look. 

“When was the last time you slept, Kakarot?” The stern voice shook some awareness in the younger man. The eldest of the four saiyans placed an arm around the half naked male to help keep him steady. He started to lead the way into the city with his eldest following right behind his family. Goku blinked a few times as he tried to come up with a response.

“A little over two weeks ago, I think. It's hard to remember, I was in heat most of that time.” Bardock frowned at his answer a little confused. If his son had been in heat, then where was his alpha? No dominate in their right mind would allow a breeding submissive to go out without protection.

“Who and where is your mate, cub? Why aren't they here to keep you and your son safe?” Goku tensed at the question, and an involuntary whimper came out as he remembered Vegeta's words. A black tail wrapped defensively around his waist as his arms came down to cover the spot where his child was growing.

The green and black clad warrior felt in his gut that he wouldn't like the answer when he saw the physical response his youngest gave. He pulled the beta closer so he could tuck him in the shelter along his side, and squeezed the should his hand was holding. Bardock waited for a few minutes before he spoke again.

“Let's get you and your cub to our home first, the boy is almost asleep in Raditz's arms.” He got a nod, and nothing else was said. The eldest of the small group watched his look alike, and felt his protective instincts rear up in agitation. After the display from earlier, the man felt extremely protective of his youngest son.

It wasn't before the family came to a small, white house. Bardock opened the door, and lead Goku and Raditz inside. The green and black clad saiyan didn't give his boys any time to look around before he took ahold of the beta to lead him into a room that sloped down into a bowl shape after a couple of feet into the room.

At the very center of the depression was a pallet covered in furs. The youngest full saiyan was gently pushed in the plush material, and Raditz handed the demi-saiyan to his father. Bardock shot a small ki blast over at a fire place, making the room have a warm glow. Soon the older members of the family helped settle the worn out spiky haired males, and the beta finally began to relax again.

“Kakarot, will you tell us now?” Bardock sat perched on the lip of the pallet, and bent to rest his arms on his legs. His sharp eyes observed the submissive as he got Goten settled under one of the furs. The boy fell asleep as soon as his head hit one of the pillows. Goku ran his hand through wild black hair making a soft purr come from his son. The noise made the beta smile as he watched his son for a few more minutes.

“It's Vegeta, isn't it?” Raditz's voice made his brother flinch, and the long haired warrior let out a sigh. “I figured as much. You and the prince were the only last full blooded saiyans left, but what did he do?” He too watched the beta as he remained quiet for a few more minutes.

“He abandoned and threatened me.” The softly spoken words floored the older saiyans in the room. Goku never took his eyes off his cub as he began to talk about what happened. “It's been over ten years since you came to Earth, Raditz, and much as happened as you know. There was an enemy that the two of us fought. We fused together using a permanent method to defeat it, but we ended up separated in the end.

“After a few weeks when the fight was over, my tail grew back, and I started experiencing something strange. My thoughts were hazy, there was an itch under my skin, and I couldn't get any relief. I didn't know it at the time, but I was experiencing my first heat.” Bardock interrupted his son.

“Wait…your first heat? You should've been having heats for years now,” the confused saiyan muttered as he looked closer at his son. When Goku didn't elaborate on that detail, Raditz stepped in to explain.

“Father, Kakarot’s tail got removed before he was fully grown. I was enraged when I found this out.” The thicker maned male glanced at his brother's limp black tail as his own unwrapped from his waist. “He never got to fully mature until it grew back.”

“Anyway, I knew after the fusion that I was a beta, and Vegeta….” The submissive bit his lip after he spoke his mate’s name. “He was the only alpha left. I had felt drawn to him in the past, but after the fusion, I felt this bond with him. It was two weeks after my heat began that he found me. We were supposed to have been training, but my heat distracted me. At first, he didn't seem to notice, but then he…” Tears were slowly falling down his face. Bardock was able to put enough together.

“He mated you, didn't he? Did he bite you?” The alpha clenched his hands into fists as his youngest nodded. Goku rubbed his eyes to brush the tears away, but the drops just kept falling. The two alphas bared elongated fangs as they growled in anger at seeing and scenting the distress the beta was in at the moment.

“After he finished, he snapped at me. Vegeta blamed me for his loss of control. I don't think he realized what was happening at the time. He…he told me that he would kill me if he ever saw me again.” Goku's voice started to tremble as he recalled the look of rage on the prince’ face. He didn't notice as his shoulders began to shake as well.

Bardock finally came over to his son shedding his armor as he went. Clad in just his pants and headband, the scarred saiyan sat down among the furs beside his son. He purred deep in his chest as he buried his hand in black spikes to massage the beta’s scalp. He pulled one leg up so it was bent at the knee to rest his other arm.

Raditz followed along and settled beside his nephew. His rougher pitched purr joined with his father's in an effort to calm the submissive down. The duel noise caused Goku to slowly slump down until he was laying on the furs. The beta pulled Goten closer to him and drifted off to the first restful sleep he had in weeks.

The two alphas did not let up until Goku was deep in sleep. This saiyan that was one of the strongest fighters in the universe now looked like a broken child. They watched the young beta sleep in silence before the long haired saiyan softly spoke.

“You do know he's pregnant.” It was more of a statement then a question. “And Vegeta marked him as his mate. Kakarot will never be able to find another mate. I thought he would have had more honor then this. What kind of alpha threats his own mate…” His words trailed off into a growl that was shared by the eldest in the room.

Bardock’s lips curled up into a snarl at the thought of the prince. Now that his youngest son was asleep, he could clearly see the bite the flame haired saiyan left on Goku's shoulder. The scar tissue showed that Vegeta used more force then was necessary when he bit down.

“I don't care if he's the prince or not, Vegeta has a lot to answer for. I won't stand for Kakarot to be dishonored like this.” Gold flickered in the saiyan's black spikes. The building rumbled a bit at the show of power before Bardock settled down. He shifted closer to the sleeping pair. His instincts demanded that he stay as close to his beta son as possible.

One of the unique things about saiyans was their loyalty to their family, and extremely protective of their cubs. Sending children away from their parents because their power levels were too low was unheard of before Frieza came. It was ingrained in each saiyan to protect cubs, especially beta cubs.

Beta male saiyans were uncommon on Vegetasei, and they were very desirable. Children born from a male were typically more powerful then children born from females. Betas were meant to be cherished not thrown away like trash, and any alpha that did so suffered extreme punishment.

If things had gone differently, Goku would have his pick of any alpha he wanted, but now he could never escape from the claim Vegeta made on him. Any attempt to find another mate would fail, and Bardock felt a pain in his chest at the sad look the submissive had on his face as he told his family what happened. 

The first time in years he laid eyes on his son was when a group of alphas tried to destroy the unborn baby Kakarot was carrying. He shuddered at the thought of coming any later. His son would never be the same if he lost his child before being taken by a different alpha than his mate.

Looking at the curled up form beside him, Bardock made a vow in his mind to never allow another to harm his youngest son. He would kill any threat to the beta, and if Vegeta ever came back to look for Kakarot, he would have to face Bardock first.

“I sent a message to the palace on our way back to the den. The king wants to see all of us tomorrow morning.” Raditz waited for his father to look at him before he continued. “What are we going to do? He'll be able to detect the small traces of Vegeta’s scent on Kakarot as soon as he sees him tomorrow. He might try to take the cub once it's born.”

Bardock ran a hand through his hair as he thought about his eldest’s words. King Vegeta would definitely take interest as soon as he saw the beta, but the scarred warrior didn't think he would stoop so low as to take a baby away from its mother. His head fell back with a sigh as he closed his eyes.

“We tell him the truth, and if he tries anything with Kakarot, I'll stop him. King Vegeta can’t stand up to a Super Saiyan after all.” Bardock's black eyes flickered to green as he smirked at the long haired man. He got an answering smirk from the long haired man, and glanced back down at Goku and Goten.

“Let's get some sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow.” Bardock ordered his son, and both settled in protective positions around the beta and cub in the middle.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm sure you all have a few questions like these.  
Why is Goku so weak? Goku is pregnant. His ki is what is sustaining the life growing within him, so his power fluctuates. He can be normal or weak. That's one reason why betas need an alpha to protect. Also, he knows he can't protect his son or unborn child, and it's making him very emotional. It also doesn't help that Vegeta rejected him.

Where is Gohan? Gohan is still on Earth. At the moment, he's happy playing human, but he will join his family later.

Can Goten go super? Yes, Goten can go super. I didn't mean to make him seem so weak or insecure.

Does Vegeta know what he did? No, Vegeta doesn't realize what he's done yet, but he will very soon.

What happened between Goten and Trunks? Goten got his tail back and he wanted to show Trunks, he also admitted to having a crush on him. Trunks got jealous first and stepped outside for a minute. Vegeta came home around that time, and was snarling at how wrong it is for Goku to “seduce” him. Trunks misinterpreted it and broke Goten’s heart.

Why did the dragon bring those that had been dead for awhile back to life? Shenron granted the wishes because he has watched Goku for some time. Never once did he wish for anything for himself, and he has sacrificed much to keep the planet safe so Shenron rewarded him.

I hope this makes some things clearer for you all. Let me know if you have anymore questions!

 

The sound of a door opening woke Bardock up. He bolted upright with a snarl and covered his beta son until he realized it was Raditz. Goku pulled Goten closer at the sound of his father snarling, but he also relaxed at seeing who it was. Raditz looked at the three in amusement as he threw several piles of clothes.

“Get dressed. I've got breakfast made, but we need to hurry. We’ve got a meeting with the king.” The long haired saiyan said as he left the room to go eat. Bardock grumbled as he let out a jaw popping yawn. He never was one for mornings. 

Goku wiggled out from under his father and looked over at the clothes. They were traditional saiyan armor, and there was an outfit for each of them. He helped his half asleep son into a suit that was like what Krillin wore on Namek before he put on a replica of what his father wore save for the red arm and leg warmers. His came with green and black gloves like Raditz wore.

“You look good, Kakarot,” his father said as he looked over his youngest. Goku’s tail swished behind him in happiness at the complement. He scooped his grandson up in arms and lead the way to the kitchen where Raditz was eating like a typical saiyan. The other three soon took seats around the table, and all perked up at the sight of food.

Nothing was said as the massive amounts of food disappeared in within a matter of minutes. Each saiyan leaned back in his seat in satisfaction with the meal, but the sound of beeping interrupted the nice morning. Bardock reached over to pick up his scouter, and as he put it on, he groaned.

“The king wants to see us immediately. We better go, otherwise we’ll have the guards after us.” The eldest saiyan rubbed the back of his neck with an annoyed look on his face. “I really don't want to kill anyone this early in the day,” he muttered as he got up. Raditz chuckled at his father’s words. He picked up his nephew and headed to the door.

Goku slowly got up with a worried expression. He really didn't want to leave the safety of the house and deal with everyone looking at him like a piece of meat. He fiddled with one of his gauntlets, and startled when a hand fell on his shoulder. He met the hard, black eyes of his father.

“Don't worry, Kakarot. No saiyan will try anything as long as you are with me.” Bardock smirked as his hair flickered gold making Goku's eyes widened. The beta relaxed with a smile, and nodded. The alpha ruffled the other’s hair as they left the building. Soon, the family was heading for the palace.

“How did you become a super saiyan, father?” Kakarot asked as they flew at a leisurely pace. “I thought I was the first one to appear in a thousand years.” Goten floated closer to hear the story as well. The boy was becoming very attached to his grandfather and uncle. Bardock looked ahead with a smirk on his face.

“It was in Otherworld. After I died, I was extremely angry with the rest of my race. Not a single one believed me when I tried to tell them that Frieza was going to kill us all, so I did what any saiyan would do. I challenged any fighter that was stronger than me, and trained until I couldn't move.

“I had a vision before I died, Kakarot. I saw you become a super saiyan and defeat that tyrant. You, not some elite or even the prince, just you. Did you know you were born with a battle power of just two?” Bardock looked over at his son with a proud expression on his face. The young full blood shook his head at the question.

“Well, you were. It was one of the weakest power levels ever recorded, but now look at you. You have surpassed any limit the saiyan race has ever had. You have ascended the super saiyan not once but twice. If you could achieve that, then I thought I could as well. I finally reached super saiyan. Now, other than yourself, I'm the most powerful saiyan on Vegetasei.

“And, it's all thanks to you, my son.” The warm look Goku got from Bardock made him smile with a flush. The father reached over and clasped the beta in the shoulder before looking back to the palace.

Bardock stayed very close to the beta once they got to the main gate. Several alpha guards looked at Goku with lustful eyes, but a snarl from his father kept anyone from trying anything. The submissive saiyan was placed between Raditz and Bardock as they walked through the stone hallways to the throne room.

Goten was placed on his feet once they came to the closed door. The cub moved so that he was standing just behind his father’s leg as the doors opened up. The room was very large and spacious. At the end of a long walkway was a raised dais that a large stone chair was sitting. Several stained glass windows lined the walls, and behind the throne. The throne was carved from the very rock of the wall, and Goku admired the craftsmanship until he spotted the figure sitting on it.

An opposing male with flame like chestnut hair leaned against one of the arms of his chair with his head being resting on his fist. He had a full black bodysuit with white gloves and blue boots. White and red armor covered his torso with plates that went down his outer thighs, and a blue and red cape was clasped to the shoulder pieces. On the chest piece of the armor was the sign of the House of Vegeta stamped over the heart, beside it rested a blue and gold medallion.

While the king cut an impressive figure, Goku stared at him with wide eyes. The man, obviously Vegeta's father, looked almost exactly like his son. The only difference was the goatee on his face, and he was a little bit taller than his son.

Immediately, the beta’s tail wrapped defensively around his waist, and he shifted closer to his father. Seeing someone that resembled the alpha he was mated to shook Goku up a bit, but he didn't let any other indications show how uneasy he felt in the presence of King Vegeta. The submissive took a deep breath and began to walk towards the throne with his family.

“I was about to send someone after you, Bardock. You were taking your time in coming here.” The king’s voice was deep and resonated throughout the room. He narrowed his eyes at the look of disregard that came from the green and black armored saiyan, but he knew there was nothing he could do to force Bardock into doing something. The other saiyan was just too powerful.

Impassive eyes flickered over the rest of the group as they came to a stop in front of the dais, until they halted on the one in the middle. The king stared at the young warrior and noticed the faint hints of a sweet scent mixed in with something very familiar floating around the room. 

King Vegeta's spine stiffened once he realized the smell was coming from the young one. The royal was on his feet and striding straight to the beta. Something about that peculiar scent made him curious. As he got closer, a growl came from his left, and he looked over at the green and black clad saiyan to see fangs bared.

Bardock stepped in front of his son when Vegeta got too close. Raditz moved closer to his brother, ready to get him and Goten out of the palace if things went south. The king locked eyes with him and a stare down went on between the older saiyans. Goku remained tense behind his father, and his son looked like he was ready to power up if the king twitched in the wrong direction.

“I'm not looking for a beta, Bardock. I want to know why your son has the scent of my eldest on him.” King Vegeta informed the other with as he crossed his arms over his chest. The stance was so similar to the saiyan prince, and it made the submissive flinch. The sharp eyes of the king caught noticed it, but didn't look away from Bardock.

The protective alpha felt the movement and looked over his shoulder at Kakarot. The beta was watching the king with narrowed eyes for a few minutes before his eyes met his father's. Bardock lifted an eyebrow, and his son nodded. He huffed and stepped back a bit, but he remained close incase Vegeta tried anything.

“I believe you and I have much to discuss,” Goku said to the king. The tall monarch nodded and turned towards a side door. He motioned for the family to follow him, and walked through. The three full blooded saiyans and the half blood looked at each other before they went through the door.

The room was a simple sitting room with several plush chairs sitting in a semi circle around a fire place. It was like the throne room. With rock walls and stained glass windows that made the space glow. King Vegeta was already in a seat close to the fire, and he motioned for the others to join him.

Goku sat down on a chair with Goten settled in his lap. The one between him and the king was quickly occupied by Bardock, and Raditz took up the seat on the other side of the beta. Goku took a deep breath to steel himself before beginning his tale.

For the next several hours, the submissive saiyan told King Vegeta and his family about his life on Earth, and the situation that lead to the resurrection of some of the saiyan race with his cub adding a detail every now and then. Lunch was called for when Kakarot's stomach growled, and Bardock refused to let him continue without something to eat.

Throughout the whole story, the monarch sat with his elbows on the arm rests and his hands folded in front of him. He never said a word or asked any questions until Kakarot was finished, and his face was neutral while he proceeded everything. Finally, he blinked and ran a hand over his face.

“That little brat.” King Vegeta muttered as he pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. “I cannot believe that my son would be so dishonorable and cowardly.” A frustrated growl came from his chest as he glared at the fire. His face softened once he looked back at the beta that now carried the new heir to the throne.

“For what's it worth, Kakarot, I apologize on behalf of my family for the wrong my son has caused you.” Raditz and Bardock looked at the king in shock. Never in their lives would they expect something like this from the prideful House of Vegeta, but Vegeta ignored the two and continued to address Goku. 

“Betas are meant to be treated as a treasure, and it seems Vegeta has forgotten or ignored this part of our culture. His own barer was a beta, and I taught him to always respect the sacrifice they make to bring cubs into this world. It is a noble thing betas do for our race.

“I will not allow this to go unpunished. Whither he returns to Vegetasei or not, I will have him stripped of his rank as prince and my heir. I'm sure the news will get to Earth sooner or later. In fact, I'm going to send a messenger to tell him the good news. Hopefully that will knock some sense into his thick skull.” The king smirked at the reaction he could imagine his son would have.

The rest of his companions looked at King Vegeta with wide, disbelieving eyes. That would be a low blow to the prince's pride. His title was the one thing he truly prided himself on having despite the fact that he was only prince of four saiyans.

“Kakarot, I have a proposal for you and your family.” All of his companions straightened to attention at his words. Bardock tensed the most as the words from his eldest from the night before rang in his head, but the look on the monarch’s face kept the family somewhat relaxed. 

“I want you and your family to move into the palace, and I want to name your unborn cub my heir. While I am not questioning your father’s or brother's ability to protect you, you will be safer here, and receive the best care available throughout your pregnancy. Also, I'll arrange for your other son’s education. He will be part of the royal family as will all or you now.” Three jaws dropped open, and a demi-saiyan snickered at the funny faces the adults made. 

“Don't look so surprised. That cub will have the blood of royalty flowing through his veins. It's only natural he would be in line for the throne.” King Vegeta said as he settled back in his chair. “I also have heard of your battles while I was in Otherworld, and I believe that you should be honored for what you have done.”

Goku snapped out of his shock, and thought things over. This was beyond what he thought would happen when he wished for Vegetasei. Both of his children that he brought with him will be provided for, and that lifted a huge weight off his shoulders. He glanced down at his son, who had stars in his eyes at the thought of living in a palace.

“I accept, you majesty.” The beta spoke with his head bowed. Goten whooped with excitement as he leapt from his father's lap. Seeing his the boy happy made the adults in the room chuckle as he did somersaults in the air.

“Please, just call me Vegeta. We are family now.” The monarch smirked as he waved his hand to dismiss the formalities. Goku nodded with a strained smile, and he looked over at his father, wondering if he had done the right thing in accepting this offer. 

Bardock could see the hints of uncertainty in his youngest eyes, so he nodded once in agreement. The proposition made him admit that it would be easier to look after his son if he was in the palace. That simple gesture made the beta relax as he placed a hand over the spark of ki growing in his belly. 

Goku looked outside one of the windows with a content smile on his face, knowing that things were finally looking up.


	5. Chapter 5

Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans, was not in a good mood. 

It had been about four months since Kakarot and his youngest brat vanished, and he's been feeling restless. Vegeta was shocked that the clown would just up and wish himself away, and he still didn't know where the two went. He never thought the other saiyan would just up and leave, but when he thought about the last time they spoke, the prince couldn't blame him.

He was still very angry over the encounter they had shared by the lake shore, but he couldn't get it out of his mind. He found himself thinking about it all the time. No matter how hard he tried to push it in the back of his mind, he just couldn't let it go.

The prince wasn't sure if he truly missed his fellow warrior, but Kakarot's absence was keenly felt these past few months. It was the third class’s face that really stayed embedded in his psyche. The look of betrayal and hurt when he left after the best sex of his life, and the look of terror just before he disappeared. Fear that he, himself, had instilled in the younger saiyan.

All of Kakarot's friends and family demanded to know what happened after the dragon was summoned, but the prince didn't get close enough to hear the last wish. Vegeta finally got fed up, and snapped at everyone. Only Bulma, his wife, and Gohan, the oldest half blood, were brave enough to still bother him with questions.

Kakarot's first born was beside himself with worry. He had mentioned that both Goten and Kakarot had been acting unusual the week before their tails grew back, or in the other pure blood’s case, ever since he came back to life again.

The boy is now blaming himself for not being there for his father and younger brother. Bulma and the rest of Earth’s special forces have done everything they can to convince him otherwise, but nothing seemed to help. 

Something Vegeta found disgusting was the lack of concern from the clown’s harpy of a wife. The woman seemed very happy that her husband and youngest son were no where to be found. The only thing that really bothered her was the negative influence the disappearance had on Gohan.

His grades and attendance were slipping, and he was spending less time with that girl, Videl. The harpy started to blame Kakarot and Goten for the lack of interest the oldest demi-saiyan showed in the world around him, and this angered the boy so much, he moved into Capsule Corp. to get away from his mother.

Lately, Gohan feared it was because he was acting more human than saiyan that his father didn't take him with them. It was an irrational fear, that Bulma had repeatedly told the boy, but it didn't stop Gohan from asking if Vegeta would train and teach him.

The older man accepted only to stop Bulma’s pestering.

The whole situation irked so much that it was effecting his concentration during training. With a growl, he walked over to the console of his gravity room to shut the machine down. Gohan, dressed in his purple gi, looked at his teacher with a questioning glance, but he knew better than to say something.

“Today's training is over, boy. Get some rest,” The prince called gruffly over his shoulder as he made his way to his room. He didn't wait for his pupil’s response. Vegeta ran a hand through his gravity defying hair as he headed to the shower. 

He turned the water as hot as it would go, and peeled off the skin tight training suit he had on. Once naked, he stepped under the spray. The motions of cleaning himself helped ease the chaotic storm in his mind. He let out a sigh as he pressed his forehead against the cool tiles. The water running over his back worked some of the tension out of his muscles.

A flash of Kakarot's terrified face flashed behind his closed eyes, and they snapped opened. Vegeta bared his fangs at the image as he slammed a fist against the wall. Broken, white squares fell onto the floor of the shower, but the prince ignored the mess.

“Why do you torment me?” He hissed into the steamy air. His wet tail thrashed behind him, slinging water drops in the stall. The sudden rage he felt drained out as he remembered the way the color drained from the other’s face, and how he curled his tall body in a ball with his son in the center.

There was a dull throb of pain in his chest as he saw that in his mind’s eye. Seeing a person as strong as Kakarot afraid was startling. The prince didn't think the clown would take his words heart, and Vegeta lifted a hand to rub over the center of his chest, the source of the ache. It got worse the longer he pictured the scene, and he wasn't sure why.

His chest had been aching off and on since Kakarot vanished, but the prince thought it was guilt eating at him. It took some time, but he felt vaguely responsible for the two leave. However, his pride would never let him admit it out loud. He also didn't know how the humans would take it, and he wanted to save his sensitive hearing the suffering of listening to Bulma shrieking at him.

Vegeta turned off the shower with another sigh and stepped out. The saiyan was quick to dry off and dress himself in a black tank top and faded jeans. He had just finished putting his boots on when he felt an unknown energy signature enter Earth’s atmosphere. His body tensed as he hurried over to the balcony connected to his room.

“Vegeta, do you feel that?” Gohan asked as he flew up to his teacher. Vegeta spared the demi-saiyan a glance as he nodded. He narrowed his eyes to the north, where the source was coming in for a landing.

“Dad!” Trunks yelled as he rushed in Vegeta's bedroom. “What is that?” The boy looked to the two older warriors, but neither had an answer. He fiddled with the olive green gi he wore as he watched his father's face. The young saiyan looked awful. He'd been depressed with Goten gone, but he refused to talk about his young friend.

“Come on. I can feel the others heading to whatever is making that signature.” The prince blasted off with the other two in tow. The demi-saiyans came up on either side of him as they flew in silence. Vegeta thought the power level felt familiar, but he couldn't remember from where. 

The trio came to a cliff where the the other four were already waiting. Each man had his eyes trained to the sky as they searched for the vessel. Krillin looked over his shoulder when Vegeta, Gohan, and Trunks touched down. The pure blood saiyan crossed his arms over his chest as he came to the rest.

“Hey, Vegeta? Does this energy feel familiar to you?” Krillin asked the taller man. “We've all felt it before.” There was puzzlement in the human’s tone, but he didn't seem to worried over the strange reading.

Just then, a large, white sphere with a blue window emerged from the clouds. The ship looked like a bigger version of the pods Vegeta used when he traveled in space. It slowly lowered itself until it touched down on the grassy plain below the cliff where the Z fighters stood on. Gohan narrowed his eyes at the sight of the ship, until memories rushed in his head.

“Turles!” Every head turned to look at the young warrior. “It's Turles’s ship. The guy who tried to use Earth to grow the Tree of Might!” Recognition registered on the faces of his allies save for Trunks. Vegeta frowned at the name, but he looked down at the ship with a sneer.

Each got into a fighting stance once the door to the ship opened up, and a dark skinned version of Goku walked down the runway. The space pirate rubbed the back of his head as he muttered to himself. The beeping of his scouter alerted him to the fighters just ahead of him. Dark eyes roamed over the group until they landed on the prince.

“Oh, look. A welcome committee.” Turles sarcastically sneered at the fighters. “Well, at least this saves me the trouble of finding you, Prince Vegeta.” The purple and black armored saiyan floated up to the cliff only to halt when Krillin formed a ki ball in his hands.

“Woah!” Turles held his hands in front of his body. “I'm not here to fight. I'm only here do deliver a message. Once it's done, I'll be on my way.”

“You expect us to believe that?!” Gohan shouted at the rogue saiyan. “Especially after the last time you were here?! You were dead! How did you come back to life?!” The demi-saiyan snarled at his father's doppelgänger. The boy was about to attack the other, but Vegeta held a hand out in front of him. Gohan gave the back of the prince’s head a look of disbelief that was shared with the rest of the fighters, but he halted his movements.

“Speak, third class. Why are you here and how were you revived?” There was a tone of commandment in his voice, and Turles fought the urge to bow to the prince. He rolled his eyes and pulled out a black, flat square from the inside of his armor, and threw it to Vegeta. The dark skinned saiyan knew he wasn't strong enough to challenge the prince, so he began his tale. 

“You will never believe me, Vegeta. I was dead, but a few months ago, I woke up alone on my ship.” This made Vegeta lift an eyebrow, but he remained silent. “It wasn't long until I got a message from the last place I expected. I checked the source three times to make sure my communication link wasn't malfunctioning, but the results were the same every time. It was from Vegetasei.”

The prince’s eyes widened significantly, but he quickly schooled his expression back into a scowl. “That's impossible, slug. Vegetasei was destroyed by Frieza long ago. Clearly your readings were incorrect.”

“That's what I thought too, until the king came over the link.” Turles hissed back at the prince. The space pirate was shocked to see his dead ruler on the view screen, and he didn't know what to think until King Vegeta explained how things came to be. The dark saiyan didn't give Vegeta time to respond before he continued. 

“He was calling every saiyan back home, but he saw my location and asked that I stop by on my way to give that to you. He also ordered me to remain so I could witness you receiving the message, so hurry up. The sooner I get off this mud ball, the better.” Turles mumbled the last part as he floated over to stand on the cliff. 

He crossed his arms as he waited for the shell shocked Vegeta to play the recording after he pressed a button on his scouter to record everything. Turles wanted to get back to Vegetasei as soon as possible to see if it was truly there. Like all saiyans that survived the planet blowing up, he had a longing for the red skies.

Vegeta looked at the recording disk with blank eyes. He pressed a button on one of the corners of the disk and set it on the ground. The prince had taken three steps back when a hologram of his father appeared in a flash of light. His breath caught in his throat, and he ignored the sounds of shock coming from the Z fighters.

“Greetings, Vegeta. I am pleased to hear that you survived being under Frieza’s control. Before I go further, I want to let you know that yes our planet and hundreds of our race are back in existence. I'll explain how later. Right now I want you to know how proud you've made me. I saw your battles in Otherworld, and all you've accomplished after my death. To see you become legend and fight evils beyond imagination…you are extraordinary.”

Vegeta inwardly preened at the praise his father rained down on him. In the back of his mind, there was a little boy that wondered if the man that tried to save him from the lizard would be proud of all the things he did to survive. A weight was lifted off his shoulders at the acknowledgment and sight of King Vegeta.

“That being said, I must ask you this.” Vegeta tilted his head in confusion as the tone his father was using became angry. “What the HELL were you thinking, brat?!” The volume had all with sensitive hearing covering their ears. Turles smirked as he watched the tongue lashing the prince was about to receive.

“I raised you better than this! How can you be so dishonorable and cowardly to do what you did to a beta?! There is no excuse to treat one like you did, boy! Not only did you take advantage of a beta in heat, you mated and rejected him! You know the sacrifice betas take to bear us more cubs, and you threw that in his face?! How dare you!” The holographic monarch snarled at his son.

The stern tone had the prince shrinking in on himself as his father continued to berate him. Vegeta had no idea what his father was talking about. Never once in his life did he ever mistreat a beta. He knew what they gave up after they became pregnant, and he respected them. Betas had a strength that alphas would never possess.

“I will not allow you to go unpunished just because you are my son. Seeing as there is no way I can physically punish you, I've decided on something else. You no longer have the title of prince, nor are you my heir.” The world screeched to a halt as those words echoed in Vegeta's head. Gasps came from the others save for Turles, but now the pirate watched with sadistic glee.

‘How can father take away my title for something I never did?!’ Vegeta seethed at the hologram and fisted his hands with the strong urge to punch something. ‘Has he lost his mind?! If I'm not the heir, who is going to take my place, Tarble?! My brother wouldn't last a day as heir!’ 

“Tarble is not my new heir.” The recording continued as if he knew what the former prince was thinking. “As of this moment, my heir shall be the Prince Consort until he has given birth to his cub. I was willing to banish and disown you completely, Vegeta, but the consort requested otherwise. Be thankful for him for not only bringing our world and race back, but making sure you are not left without a home.

“Vegeta, I do hope to see you again, but there is much you must do to make amends. I'm sure you can figure out just who you have wronged by the time this recording is over, and I hope you can swallow your pride and do the right thing.” The hologram glared at Vegeta and paused to let his words sink in. “Goodbye, my son. Take care of yourself. I'm sure you'll be visiting soon.” With a smirk that mirrored his son’s, the message terminated.

Everyone was still for the next few minutes, looking at Vegeta in shock and wariness. The short saiyan trembled in his rage as he glared at the spot where his father. His anger clouded his mind, so he couldn't put all the clues together, but a sound made him snap his eyes over at Turles, who was trying to suppress his laughter. Once he looked at the former prince, the pirate lost it.

“You insulted our new Prince Consort?!” He threw his head back with a howl. “No wonder Bardock was so pissed when I talked to him! I can't believe you were stupid enough to throw away that beautiful beta!” Turles took in a deep breath to regain his composure. He flashed Vegeta a smirk that showed sharp, white teeth.

“The Consort is quite the find. I never thought he would be a beta, but so many things now make sense! He's very attractive.” The dark saiyan saw how his words were making Vegeta angry and confused. The idiot still hadn't realized what he's done. Seeing the proud saiyan in front of him so bewildered was very amusing.

“Well, I've done my job. Now I'm going home. I wonder if I could get Kakarot to agree with a relationship with me when I get there…” Turles muttered as he turned and floated to his ship. A leer grew on his face as he pictured the beta he fought years ago. Thinking about how his look a like would look and smell made a shiver of lust run down his spine.

It was that last sentence that made Vegeta act. He lunged forward with a snarl, and tackled the other pure blood down to the grassy field under the cliff. He received an answering snarl as the two rolled around trying to pin the other.

“What just happened?” Gohan asked his stunned friends as they watched the two below them.


	6. Chapter 6

“You will NOT touch him, bastard! Kakarot is MINE!” Vegeta snarled as he fought to pin the bulkier saiyan underneath him. He snapped his teeth close to a dark skinned neck, but a knee to his gut had his balance thrown off. Turles surged forward with the momentum with a dark smirk on his face.

“If he's yours than why did you reject him? The most powerful beta the saiyan race has ever produced, and you threw him away like yesterday's trash.” The armored warrior sneered in Vegeta's face as he grappled with the former prince. “Kakarot deserves an alpha that will treat him right, and that is certainly not you.

“He has hundreds of alphas that are after him. He might not be able to form a permanent bond with any of them thanks to you, but that wouldn't stop Kakarot from finding someone to take care of him and his new cub once it's born. I just happen to be stronger then most of our race back home. I could provide whatever his heart desires.” The pirate’s tail twitched as he egged the former prince on.

“I'm sure he's at that stage in pregnancy where he's so needy for an alpha’s touch. Betas typically need sexual contact the farther they progress, right? Why would he come back to the one that took away his ability to bond with another alpha?” The dark skinned man trapped Vegeta's wrists above his head and locked his legs around the other alpha’s. The smaller man twisted and yanked to free himself as Turles continued.

“I bet Kakarot makes the most arousing noises. He made some interesting ones when I had him pinned. Was he tight? I'm sure he was, after all he's only submitted to you. I can't wait to show him what a true saiyan alpha would do to him.” The words were purred out with a leer making the smaller man freeze, but rage soon took over.

Vegeta's anger provided enough boost to physically overpower Turles with a loud roar. The smaller man ended up straddling the other’s thighs with one hand wrapped around the throat. His free hand was ready to form a ki blast if the larger saiyan struggled too much. Despite the vulnerable position he was in, Turles grinned cockily at Vegeta.

“What? Can't stand the thought of someone else going after your mate? Afraid that someone might show him a better time than you did?” His tone was raspy due to the restriction on his throat, but he still had that arrogant smirk on his face. His words made everything click into place for Vegeta.

Mate…?

He mated Kakarot! His rival was a beta!

How the hell did he miss that?!

In the back of his mind, things made so much more sense now. How Kakarot was able to stay ahead of him in terms of strength, why he felt so much aggression for the third class, and the obsession to become stronger and put Kakarot in his place. All because he subconsciously wanted to prove that he was a good candidate for a mate.

The day by the lake flashed in his mind, and Vegeta could feel the blood drain out of his face. Every harsh word and action played in slow motion to taunt him, and seeing Kakarot so scared before he vanished…

Oh, gods…what had he done?

Once the severity of his stupidity became clear, terror stole the breath out of his chest. He could feel his fingers trembling, and his tail thrashed behind him showing his distress. The ache in his chest flared up as he thought of the consequences of his actions.

His mate was on a different planet! He was alone without Vegeta's protection! His pregnant mate!

All because of him! His anger and pride might have just cost him what any saiyan would give anything to have. The only thing keeping him from completely loosing his mind with all the things that could happen with Kakarot while he was defenseless was the fact that his father had the beta in the palace.

“You can't be serious… You didn't know Kakarot was a submissive?” A dry voice brought him out of his thoughts to see Turles still pinned under his weight. The pirate let out a weak chuckle. “I knew as soon as I saw him. No alpha saiyan that was born with his power level could grow in strength like that.” The space pirate move to grip the wrist connected to the hand around his throat.

“You gonna let me up now? Or are you going to keep daydreaming while you sit on me?” Vegeta bared his fangs at the snarky saiyan, and tightened his hold on the other's neck. The atmosphere went tense for a few minutes, but the smaller man rose off Turles in the end. The dark skinned man coughed as he rubbed the forming bruises.

“Get out of my sight before I rend you limb from limb.” Vegeta darkly growled at the other alpha as he crossed his arms. His chestnut tail was puffed up and swaying behind him. It was the only indicator of his rage. He now had more important things to worry about than the pirate.

Turles, seeing that the former prince would follow through on his threat, wisely backed away to his ship. The space pirate paused once he got to the threshold, and looked at Vegeta with a serious expression on his face. However, no words were said, and Turles took off into the sky.

Vegeta watched as the ship flew out of sight, and relaxed when the pure blood saiyan's energy signature faded from his awareness. He only turned once Gohan landed next to him with the others just a few steps behind. The shorter male could see the questions brewing in his eyes, and he let out a tired sigh. 

“Kakarot, apparently, wished for the saiyan race and our home world back into existence. He must have used the last wish to transport Goten and himself to Vegetasei.” Vegeta ran a hand over his face. He prayed that none of the Z fighters were playing too close attention to the message his father sent.

“What did you do to him, Vegeta?” The pure blood saiyan cursed in his head as he heard the deep voice of Piccolo. He could feel every eye on him now, and he glared in return. None of the others changed their expressions no matter how hard he glared. Agitated, Vegeta snarled at the others making them take a step back.

“I don't have to explain myself to you! Mind your own business!” He crossed his arms and turned his back to the group. His pride had been slowly damaged over the course of the past few months, but today just about shattered it.

“Vegeta! If you did something to my father, I will have you explain yourself!” Gohan got in the other's face with a snarl. Air crackled with energy as the two saiyans glared at each other. Vegeta bared his fangs at the younger man. Normally, the Gohan would back down if he saw this, but he had gone through too much to do so. He showed his own fangs and rose to the challenge the former prince gave him.

The humans and Namek watching stiffened at the tension cracking between the two. Piccolo help the back of Trunks’s gi to keep the boy from interfering. Just when it seemed Vegeta and Gohan were going to go super, Vegeta, surprisingly backed down first. He snarled at the ground and walked off.

“Fine. Let's go back to Capsule Corp. This is going to be a long story.” Vegeta ignored the suspicion that followed him like a cloak, and took off back home. As he flew, he wondered if he could get the woman to build him a ship. One big enough for him and the two demi-saiyans in his care. The saiyan brought a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose to stave off the impending headache this story was going to cause.

Before he was ready, Vegeta with the Z fighters and Bulma were sitting in the living room back at CC. The former prince crossed his arms and glared down at the floor, mentally ordering it to swallow him up, but it just left him to reap what he sowed.

“As you all know, Kakarot’s and my tail grew back shortly after that fiasco with Buu.” Here he got nods from all around, and he took a deep breath. “Before I start, don't interrupt me. I'm only telling this once. You can ask your questions when I'm done. I'm sure all of you will have some. Got it?”

This time the acknowledgments were a little more hesitant, but Vegeta got them nonetheless. With a scowl on his face, he swallowed his pride, and held his anger at admitting his faults. He would need the help of these people if he wanted to get to Vegetasei.

“Kakarot is a beta saiyan, which means he can carry children. It's not something that's common on Vegetasei, but every now and then a beta male is born. Every alpha wants to mate one as they produced stronger cubs than our females do, though I have no idea why, but that's not really relevant at the moment.

“After he got his tail back, he went into heat. Now that I look back, I don't think he even knew what was happening at the time. I went looking for him about four months ago. We were suppose to be training together, but he never showed up. So I went looking for him.” Here he looked extremely uncomfortable, and Piccolo narrowed his eyes at the saiyan.

“I found him in the wilderness several miles from his house. I was irritated that he had blown our sparring off, and that might have clouded my judgment of the signs he was displaying. Once he got out of the lake that was near by, the wind shifted, and I caught his scent.” Vegeta couldn't bring himself to continue, but Piccolo managed to piece together what happened.

“You mated him, and left him. You chased him away.” Six people glared at Vegeta, and he fought the urge to squirm under their scrutiny. The saiyan looked off to the side with a glare. His silence was response enough, and the room erupted in shouts that had him clamping his hands over his ears.

“SHUT UP!” Vegeta roared over the noise as he leapt to his feet. His tense body shook with all the mixed emotions he was feeling. Silence quickly fell over the room, and the former prince fisted his hands looking ashamed of himself. “I know I did wrong! I didn't know he was a beta, and I know that's no excuse for what I did! Right-“ 

A punch interrupted him, and he ended up embedded in a wall on the far side of the room. Vegeta rubbed his cheek as he pulled himself out of the wall. A smear of blood stained his skin as he got close to him mouth. He glanced up at his attacker with a blank expression on his face. He knew something like this was going to happen.

Gohan glared at the older man. His was vibrating with the force of his anger, and he tried to launch himself at Vegeta with a yell of rage. Krillin, Piccolo, and Yamcha were quick to grab the teen. He thrashed and kicked to get loose without hurting his friends. The teen was beyond coherent words.

“Calm down, Gohan!”

“Easy, easy, ow!”

“Gohan!” 

The half saiyan ignored the words being shouted at him as he slowly got closer to Vegeta, who just stood there. He knew he would have to answer to his student, and he waited for the beating he was sure to receive once the enraged teen got free.

Finally, Bulma had enough. The blue haired woman had watched everything in shock until she saw her husband go flying through the air. She marched up to Gohan, and slapped him across the face. Everyone looked at her stunned, but she ignored them as he spun on her heel and slapped Vegeta as well.

“You're an idiot!” Bulma placed her hands on her hips as she glared at the former prince. Vegeta slowly turned his head to face her after her surprisingly strong strike forced his head to the side. He remained quite as angry and hurt blue eyes studied him. 

“Come with me.” Bulma softly orders the saiyan and walks out of the room. Vegeta follows her until they reach her lab. Once there, the human woman began to pace in the room while Vegeta leaned against a wall with his arms folded over his chest. The two were silent for several long minutes.

“Vegeta, tell me the truth. Why did you leave him? What did you say to make him run from us?” Dark eyes lifted to meet blue as Bulma came to a stop in front of him. A lump formed in his throat as he searched for the answer. 

“I…I was confused and angry at first. I thought Kakarot was…I don't know what I was thinking. All I can recall is the overwhelming feeling of rage.” Vegeta closed his eyes with a pained look. Bulma watched him as she crossed her arms, but she remained silent so he could gather his thoughts.

“Woman, I never had an easy life. I've suffered things you could not imagine under Frieza's rule, things I wouldn't wish on anyone. I must've had a flashback or something…I was stupid to think that Kakarot would do anything like what Frieza did, but that is no excuse for how I treated him. Bulma, how could I threaten and hurt someone like Kakarot when all he is is a bundle of sunshine?

“I admit that there was something that kept drawing me to him all these years, but I never thought he could be a submissive. I can see now that I wanted him all this time. My instincts knew he was a beta, but I didn't listen. When his heat hit, there was no stopping what happened. 

“I mated him. I put a claiming mark on him, and now I've trapped him. He is bound to me with no chance of escape. Instinct might have started this bond, but now I can see that all I want is him. Kakarot IS my other half. I…I need him. I've got to make it right.” Vegeta looked at Bulma with a regretful expression. The woman sighed and gave him a weak smile.

“You always were a bit thick headed, but I thought that was part of your saiyan charm.” Bulma patted his shoulder before she wrapped her slender arms around him. Vegeta didn't return the hug, but he his relax in the embrace. He almost flinched when the blue haired woman spoke again. “Vegeta…I think we should see other people.”

He looked down at the top of her head in stunned silence before he let out a bark of laughter. Vegeta felt the slight twitches of the woman as he giggled into his neck, and he wrapped an affectionate arm around her shoulders. Once Bulma pulled back, the saiyan gave her a soft smile that made her breath catch.

“Bulma, I don't know what I would do without you. I'm sorry this happened, but I want you to know I do love you. Just not…” Words failed Vegeta, but he wanted to get this out. The blue haired woman smiled after a few minutes.

“You love me like family, not like a mate, right? Don't worry, Vegeta. I feel the same way. Just remember that I'm here if you ever need me.” A small hand cupped the side of his face. He opened his mouth to say something else, but a shrill voice made him since as it echoed throughout the property.

“NO WAY ARE YOU LEAVING TO GO AFTER THOSE USELESS WASTES OF SPACE!!!! THEY ARE FINALLY OUT OF OUR LIVES, AND WE CAN BE NORMAL!! YOU ARE COMING HOME RIGHT NOW AND GOING TO GET THAT THING TAKEN OFF!!” Chi-Chi had finally arrived.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to post this as a Valentine's Day present to all my readers!
> 
> Just after Bulma and Vegeta left

Gohan glared at the direction Vegeta left, but he stopped fighting to get free. Yamcha slowly let go followed by Krillin. Piccolo kept one of his arms around his shoulders and forced him to sit back on the couch. The green man stood in front of the teen, and the others gathered around. Bulma would be furious if the demi-saiyan did any damage to her home.

"I can't believe that bastard! How could he do that to my father?!" Gohan snarled at the door as he crossed his arms over his chest. "He's not even sorry! OW!" A smack to the top of his head made him look up at his first mentor with a confused look. "What was that for?"

"You're being stupid. Didn't I teach you to check all the facts before letting your anger take over? Have you forgotten all that everything I taught over the years?" The Namek crossed his arms and stared down with black eyes. He didn't glare, just the disappointment in his tone was enough. Gohan flinched at the tone directed at him.

"But, Piccolo-" This time the older male did glare down at the teen. Gohan instantly dropped his gaze to the floor. Piccolo was more strict than his father ever was, and he knew the Namek wasn't going to pull any punches if he felt the demi-saiyan needed it. Krillin, who had sat down beside his best friend's son, looked over at the green male.

"Piccolo, Gohan's right. Vegeta didn't look even apologetic. He doesn't seem to care at all." The short, black haired human motioned with his head in the direction the proud saiyan left with Bulma. He knew Vegeta was rough around the edges, but this was a bit extreme even for the saiyan. Piccolo looked at each of his companions for a few seconds before covering his eyes with his hand.

"Curse your limited perception!" The loud words made everyone flinch and give him confused looks. "I know none of you are as empathetic as Goku, but did none of you look deeper than the surface?!" When none of the fighters responded, Piccolo cursed under his breath as he spun around and paced back and forth.

Trunks, who had been silent and curled up on a recliner in the corner of the room, watched everything. He didn't fully understand everything his father said, but he was able to understand enough to follow along the conversation. The boy moved off the chair and walked up to the Namek. He tugged on the white cape as soon as he got close enough, and the tall male glanced down.

"Dad's sorry. He knows it was bad." The statement was spoke so matter of fact that the green male nodded with a small smile. He ruffled lavender hair as he looked back over at the three adults and one teen as if to say 'See? He gets it!'. Trunks fisted his hand in the white cloth with a conflicted look in his eye. He was about to say more to Piccolo, but the male started to address the others again.

"Vegeta is remorseful. I can see it in his eyes. You seem to forget that he was raised under Frieza since he was just barely older than Gohan was when Raditz came, and the only interaction he's had with others of his race have been Nappa and Raditz. I'm sure both of them were alphas like Vegeta, so he's never been in contact with a beta, and I highly doubt that he was taught about that aspect of his culture." Piccolo folded his arms over his chest as his words were digested.

"Then, why didn't Goku go through something like this before? It would have revealed that he was a beta, and we could've taken the appropriate measures to keep something like this from happening." Yamcha looked puzzled as he thought out loud.

"His tail was removed before his body fully matured." Piccolo reminded the former desert bandit. "I think a saiyan's tail has a big part in the development as a child matures. I noticed Gohan acted a bit differently after I removed his, but I'm not 100% sure about that. When his tail grew back, Goku must've fully matured."

Gohan felt some of his anger drain with Piccolo's words of wisdom. He suddenly saw the regret and pain he saw when he went to Vegeta after Turles left. He slumped back among the cushions of the sofa he was perched on with a huff. There were times when he hated how the Namek could say the right thing to make him rethink the situation.

"I think Vegeta is planning to go after Goku. Hopefully to make things right. From what I heard during that scuffle between Turles and Vegeta, Goku is now permanently bound to Vegeta. He looked very panicked after Turles called Goku his mate." The sight of the former prince's face made the green male smirk.

"Well, I guess I'm going with him to Vegetasei to find Father and Goten. At least I finally know where they are…" Gohan trailed off with a sigh. He was not looking forward to being cooped up for however long it took to get to the saiyan home world, but he would do just about anything to be reunited with his family.

"I'm going too." Trunks sounded so much like his father at that moment, no one has the heart to argue with the boy. Gohan looked at cub with a soft expression on his face. He wasn't the only one missing his brother. The teen came over and crouched down to look into blue eyes, and felt an answering determination burning within him.

"Then, it looks like the three of us are going to Vegetasei. You guys don't mind staying here and looking after things while we're gone, right?" A grin spread over both demi-saiyans' faces as the rest of the Z fighters shook their heads with small smiles. They could tell this was a saiyan thing, and it needed to be settled without their interference. Unfortunately, the bonding moment didn't last long.

"You're not going anywhere other than coming home!" Chi-Chi came storming in the room like a hurricane. The woman glared at the fighters in the room, but she had a look of utter disdain when she caught sight of Trunks. It flickered across her face so fast that Gohan thought he imagined it.

Gohan quickly got to his feet and turned to his mother with a frown. He wasn't happy too happy to see the black haired woman, and he wondered why she had to pick this particular time to show up at Capsule Corp. He had been living here for three months now, so why was she here. The woman came right up to her son with a glare in her eyes.

"You're missing school, you're grades are falling, you haven't been seeing that nice girl, Videl, all for what?! So you can be like your lousy father?! I won't have it!" Piccolo and Trunks winced as Chi-Chi yelled. Gohan had gotten use to the pitch and volume of her shouting, so he was mostly unfazed. The teen glared at his mother and fisted his hands.

"Mom, Bulma has been schooling me when I'm not trained with Vegeta. My grades are still good, and I don't really like Videl like she likes me. I just see her as a friend, why are you pushing her on me? You've been like this ever since dad left." The demi-saiyan calmly explained to the angry woman.

"I just want you to have a good future, and you'll never be like that as long as you continue this! You are on your way to having a normal life without all that meaningless fighting. You could pursue any type of degree with your intelligence, and Videl is a nice young lady. She'll be the perfect wife for you. I've even worked up plans for a house of your own close to mine." Chi-Chi smiled sweetly not seeing the looks of disbelief coming from the males in the room, including her son.

"But, Mom…that's not what I want. Yes, I want to finish school and find a good job, but I'm not going to give up fighting. It's in my blood, and I enjoy the challenge. Having a normal life is not an option, remember?" Gohan's anger was slowly building again, but this time it was being directed at his mother. A dull throb started at the base of his spine, and he held the discomfort back from showing on his face.

"Gohan, why can't you see I'm trying to do what's best for you? You actually want to be like your no good father?! It's not right to love fighting and training as much as that man does! It's down right inhuman! We are better off now that it's just the two of us!" Chi-Chi reached up and gripped the vee of his purple gi with tight fists to pull the teen closer to her.

"What about Goten? Have you thought of him at all since he left with Dad? And did you forget that Dad, Goten and I are not all human?" The demi-saiyan narrowed his eyes at the woman, but she ignored his look as she sneered at the name of her youngest son. Gohan felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, and the throbbing grew more painful.

"That little monster never did as he was told no matter how I punished him!" The black haired woman shouted completely oblivious to what she was about to unleash. "He is too much like his father, and nothing I did could fix him! He is an undisciplined little spawn that has no place in our lives! Neither one of them would ever fit in unlike you, Gohan. You're almost completely human like your mother. There's only a little dirty blood that came from Goku, but as long as I'm around, you will be as human as I am!"

Gohan's eyes widened at the way Chi-Chi talked about the rest of his family. He recalled all the times Goten came to him crying and asking him to get their mother to stop hurting him. The teen always told his little brother to stop exaggerating, and just do the things Chi-Chi asked of the two. He could recall how close physically close Goten would be whenever Gohan was home.

He never saw the boy so happy when their dad was around. It was like he was a different child when Goku came back, and the cub was glued to his father's side or off with Trunks. Gohan could now see how much effort Goten took to avoid their mother unless he absolutely had to be with her.

Seeing Chi-Chi in a new light, he roughly pulled away from his mother and gave her a horrified look. The woman's expression remained blank as her hands settled on her hips. The pain was now flaring up the teen's spine as he took a step back closer to Trunks. He started to shake his head.

"Mom, what did you do…?" The question was quite, but it seemed to reverberate in the room. "What have you done to Goten? He doesn't need fixing! There's nothing wrong with him! Why would say something like that?! And there is NOTHING wrong with being like Dad! How can you stand there acting like you did nothing wrong?!"

"Because I HAVEN'T done anything wrong! Goten is my son, and I can treat him how I see fit! He was almost normal until Goku showed up, and now all my works is ruined! I'm happy they are gone!" Her words took the breath out of every other person in the room. The Z fighters held expressions of disbelief and anger. How could a mother abuse her own son just because he's different?

Gohan finally had enough. The teen glared at his mother as if she were Cell, and this made her take a step back at seeing that look. The teen's hands were clenched so tight that blood was dripping from the palms of his hands. He bared his teeth in a snarl as something ripped free from his back, but his rage made him numb to the pain.

"Leave right now, and never come back. I'm going to find Dad and Goten, and I'm going to stay with them. I can't even look at you anymore...I never want to see you again!" A dark brown, almost black tail whipped around behind the half saiyan, and the sight of the appendage made Chi-Chi forget her common sense.

"NO WAY ARE YOU LEAVING TO GO AFTER THOSE USELESS WASTES OF SPACE! THEY ARE FINALLY OUT OF OUR LIVES, AND WE CAN BE NORMAL! YOU ARE COMING HOME RIGHT NOW AND GOING TO GET THAT THING TAKEN OFF!" She shouted as she slapped her son across the face.

Vegeta and Bulma had come rushing back just in time to see Chi-Chi slap Gohan. The pure blood felt an instinct push at him, and he followed it without really thinking about it. Before anything else happened, the former saiyan prince blurred out of sight only to appear between the two with Gohan at his back. The tension in the room exploded as the saiyan glared down at the woman.

Chi-Chi looked shocked as she took a step back,but the glare quickly returned as she moved to hit Vegeta. A white gloved hand caught the black haired woman's wrist in a tight grip that made her wince. The alpha saiyan tightened his hold, and the pressure on the bones in her wrist made Chi-Chi cry out.

"Don't. Touch. The. Boy." Each word made the air grow colder, and was spoken without emotion. Now that he had settled things in his mind, Vegeta listened to his instinct to protect his new stepson.

Krillin, Piccolo, Yamcha, and Tien all had started to move to get between the woman and her son before one of them did something else, but they froze when they saw Vegeta. Cold sweat broke out on all their faces at the sight of the pure blood. He looked just like he did when he came to Earth the first time, and no one wanted to attract his attention away from the woman in front of him.

"Let go!" Chi-Chi screeched. This only made Vegeta tighten his hold, and some of the bones under his fingers cracked. The black eyed woman began to claw at his hand to get him to release her, but he could barely feel her attempts. He pulled her up off her feet so the two were eye level.

"Why should I? You don't seem to mind causing others pain, harpy," Vegeta snarled in his raspy voice. "I heard enough to know that you are a pathetic excuse for a wife and mother. No wonder Kakarot did anything he could to get away from you for all those years. I would as well, especially after you tricked him into marrying you and the other things you did."

Chi-Chi had shock and anger in her eyes. She didn't think the proud saiyan knew that little detail of her life. She thought of some of the other things she did. Panic briefly caused her blood to run cold, but she refused to show it. He had to be bluffing. There was no way he could know.

"Oh. You didn't think I knew about that, did you?" A cruel smirk grew on Vegeta's face. "You forget that Kakarot and I fused together to save this planet once, and we shared every single memory. He might've not noticed every cruel word or action you have done, but I have." He shook her arm, making her swing a bit and put more pressure on the slowly breaking bones in her arm.

"Let's see, where to begin?" Vegeta pretended to think as he tapped a finger to his chin. "Ah! How about when you started to resent him for not stopping his training? No, that's too tame, and it's something that Bulma fussed at me over too. Hmm. How about you acting colder and more distant after you found out Kakarot wasn't human?" He pulled Chi-Chi closer so he could hiss at her.

"I know about you drugging him over the years so he wouldn't be able to train as much. I know about THAT night before he died fighting Cell, and I know about you treating him more like a pet than a husband. I won't have it anymore. Kakarot is mine now, and his sons are mine as well." Vegeta suddenly increased the strength of his grip, and shattered all the bones in her wrist.

The woman screamed as he let her go. Chi-Chi crumpled at the saiyan's feet, and he crossed his arms with a look of disgust. She stayed there curled up on her side, cradling her broken wrist. He used his foot to push the woman on her back, and he sneered down at her.

"If I ever catch you around here again, a broken wrist will be the least of your troubles." He looked over at Bulma, who had called security, and motioned for the harpy at his feet to be taken away. The two men gathered Chi-Chi up, and left the room.

"Vegeta, don't think this makes things right between us. I won't forgive unless Dad does." Gohan muttered as he leaned against a wall and slid down. The teen felt drained, and his back still aches from where his tail suddenly grew back.

"Humph. I expected nothing else, brat." He smirked over his shoulder at the oldest demi-saiyan. Gohan smirked in return as he ran a hand over his face. "Woman, how fast can you and your father build a ship?" Vegeta looked at the blue eyed woman, and saw a confident smile grow on her face.

"We've already got one. Ever since Namek, we've had one just in case, and I think this is the perfect time to use it. When are you leaving?" Bulma was a miracle, and Vegeta shook his head at her thoughtfulness. He hoped someone would come along and treat her like the princess she was in his eyes.

"Immediately."


	8. Chapter 8

I just want you guys to know that Tarble is not married to Gure. I've got nothing against her, but I have other plans for our young prince.

Goku winced as a sharp kick from his unborn baby struck one of his kidneys. He rubbed his swollen belly with a fond smile feeling the life and strong energy within him. He looked equivalent to a six month pregnant woman, and he still had three more months to go. He couldn't believe how fast time flew.

Saiyan pregnancies were two months shorter than human ones, and Goku was grateful for that. As much as he enjoyed carrying, he couldn't wait for it to be over. What he really hated about being pregnant was how defenseless he was, and that he had to rely on others to protect him. It made him feel anxious at times.

He shook his head at the thought as he turned to look around the room he was still adjusting to ever since King Vegeta gave it to him. Room, however, might be pushing it seeing as Goku and his family had a wing on the royal level of the palace. The beta was given the most protected set of rooms within the wing.

Goku had a sitting room just inside the main door that had all sorts of comfortable chairs and couches. It, along with the rest of the chambers, were decorated tastefully in grays and blues. There was a fire place along the back wall, and on either side of it were doors that connected to his father's and his brother's rooms.

There was a study off to the left of the sitting room with a large desk. There he was taught more about the saiyan culture and politics so in case he needed to rule before his cub was old enough. Strangely, he enjoyed the lessons quite a bit and was able to grasp things quickly. There was a window in the study that looked over a courtyard, and that allowed some pease of mind when he needed a break.

Along that same wall, was a smaller bedroom that belonged to Goten, but the beta felt better if his cub was sleeping with him, so the boy hadn't been in there too much. The room was like the master bedroom, just on a smaller scale.

On the right side of the room were his bedroom and bathroom room. These two were Goku's favorite out of his whole chambers. The bathroom was gray and white marble. There was a large, deep soaker tub that could hold Raditz, Bardock, and Goku all at the same time, and a shower where the water came down like rain. A sink was beside a full length mirror that was placed beside the door to his bed room. 

That room just screamed comfort. The bed was absolutely huge with soft blue sheets and blankets. Gray and black furs also covered the bed, and it was built to resemble a den like the one Bardock had in his old house. Another fire place was at the opposite side of the bathroom door, and a large balcony was located on the far side of the room. The view was of the capital city and distance mountains of Vegetasei.

All and all Goku loved it.

He reclined on a plush couch laying sideways on it. He was dressed in black gi pants with a crimson shirt that stretched over his belly. Today was his day free from studying, and he was waiting for his energetic son to come back from his lessons. The boy had become so much happier since they left Earth, and Goku felt so relieved.

It took some time to coax Goten out of the shell he built when he lived with Chi-Chi, but with the help of his father, grandfather, uncle, and new tutor, he was now a bright ball of sunshine. It broke the beta's heart to see how timid the cub was after they first got here. He would cling to any of his family members as he looked around with scared eyes as if waiting for his mother to come out of the shadows. 

“Daddy! I'm back!” A cheerful voice put a smile on his face as a blur came straight towards him. It stopped right beside him with a giggle. The submissive ruffled the wild black spikes on his son’s head with a warm look in his eyes. The boy adapted to saiyan lifestyle with ease, and wanted to were armor like his grandfather all the time. It was an easy request to grant.

“Goten! Please stop running off like that! I'm not as fast as you!” A voice huffed as a small form came through the still open door. “Oh! Consort Kakarot! I thought you were taking lessons today. Forgive the intrusion.” Goku looked up with another smile directed to the saiyan at the door.

It was a male that looked like he was in his late teens. He had on a blue full bodysuit with red and white armor. White gloves and white boots covered hands and feet, and a brown tail swished freely behind the small, slender body. The male had flame shaped hair with a single bang that hung in the middle of his forehead. 

“Don't worry about it, Tarble, and stop calling me Consort. We are brothers after all.” Goku watched as King Vegeta's youngest son blushed a bit as he walked further in shutting the door behind him. “I hope Goten wasn't too much of a handful today. He just can't seem to sit still.” The father playful teased his son as he tickled the cub’s nose with his tail.

“No, he was very well behaved today. We covered more than I thought we would.” Tarble shook his head as he watched Goten swat at the black tail. He took a seat across from Goku once he was waved to sit. The smaller male really enjoyed the company of the other gentle saiyan.

Tarble was sent away to a remote planet a few months after he was born to protect him from Frieza. The second prince was born a beta, and the king worried that the lizard would sell Tarble off if he ever got his hands on him. The prince was shocked when he got contacted by his father to come back home. 

As soon as he could, Tarble packed up his stuff and left in an attack ball bound for Vegetasei. The young saiyan arrived about two months ago and was made Goten's tutor once he got back to Vegetasei. Once he was introduced to Goku and learned the story of what happened, he immediately started to admire the other beta.

Goku liked Tarble much more than any of the other saiyans save for his brother and father. The younger prince was not like the typical saiyan, and he appreciated that. The taller beta would coach Tarble on how to train to increase his power level, and his student was making excellent progress. So much so that King Vegeta was impressed at his youngest growth.

“Kakarot, how much longer do you have?” The slender male asked as he eyed the swollen belly. His fingers twitch as the urge to cover his own flat stomach came over him. He was happy for his friend, but he was a little envious as well. Kakarot seemed to glow when he felt safe, and Tarble wanted to find a mate of his own. Unfortunately, none of the warriors piqued his interest.

“A little over two months. He's a strong little cub. I can't wait until he's out.” Goku winced again as he was kicked. Goten climbed up to sit on his dad's lap, and he placed a small hand on the bump to feel his younger brother moving around. The boy could sit there and just concentrate on that feeling for hours if he could.

“I think your cub will be the first one born since Vegetasei came back. Father is extremely proud that it is his grandson. I think he going to throw a celebration soon after the birth. Something about this being the start of a new saiyan race or something like that. Personally, I think he wants to show off.” He rolled his eyes at the thought. Goku giggled at the look on the other's face.

“Well, maybe he wants to do both. I mean, it will be a fresh start for our race without Frieza controlling our actions.” He shifted a bit to relieve the ache in his lower back, and give Goten more space on his shrinking lap. “And why shouldn't he be proud? It is his grandson. I mean, you should see my father when he's not snarling at the alphas. You'd almost think that it's his son not grandson with the way he's acting!”

Tarble absentmindedly nodded in response as he looked off to the side. He was so distracted by his thoughts, he never noticed that his tail was curling over itself in different formations. The larger beta watch the other's tail with a frown growing on his face. He hated to see his friend so worked up.

“You know, Tarble, you'll find your alpha one day.” The young prince was taken aback at the unexpected statement. The older submissive didn't look at his friend, but kept his eyes trained on his son that was curling up on his lap for a nap. A small hand and tail rested on Goku's stomach, and sleepy eyes followed his hand as it moved.

“Don't give up hope just yet. Perhaps your alpha hasn't made it back to Vegetasei yet. Raditz told me there are still several signals coming from deep space.” A large hand carded through messy black spikes as he looked over at the still shocked beta. The poor boy looked so surprised that he didn't appear to be breathing. “Breath, Tarble. Don't pass out on me.” Goku smiled teasingly.

Tarble blinked a few times as he looked at the other in astonishment. The older beta's gift of empathy never ceased to amaze the prince especially when it came to the House of Vegeta. It didn't matter how stoic one looked Kakarot was able to read them like an open book. That ability will be very helpful once he started to take on some of the Consort’s duties after he gives birth.

“Thank you, Kakarot. You always know just what to say. I'll try and keep that in mind.” Tarble got a warm smile from the larger saiyan. The younger submissive settled back deeper in the chair with a sigh, hoping he would meet his alpha soon. 

Goku looked back down at his son with a soft smile but it soon turned into a frown once he felt over a puckered piece of skin at the base of Goten's skull. It was in a similar location to his own scar, but this one was larger and more twisted. Strong fingers felt over the scar, and he flinched as he thought how it came to be.

The first time he found it, the submissive asked his son how he got it. The boy had turned white and started to shake. Goku had immediately scooped up the cub and held him tight to his chest as Goten broke down in sobs. It took awhile to get the half blood to calm down, but once he did the story he told horrified his father, uncle, and grandfather.

Chi-Chi would smack and yell a lot at Goten, but nothing left a mark like that before. Saiyans had a more resilience than humans and several other species, so it takes a lot of force or the right weapon to leave a mark Most of the physical attacks weren't physically felt, but emotionally felt, except for the scar on the back of the cub’s head.

It had been just after Goten transformed into a super saiyan for the first time when he was five, a few years before Gohan found out. Chi-Chi wasn't so cruel back then, but that would soon change. He underestimated his own strength and kicked her threw a wall when they were training one day. 

Once the woman had gotten a good look at her youngest son, she went crazy. The transformation caused Goten's tail to grow back, and the sight of her little boy looking so much like his saiyan father made something shift inside of her.

She thought Goten was a monster. First Chi-Chi blamed herself thinking that she had done something wrong for giving birth to such a creature. Then she blamed Goku for slipping her the child before he went and got himself killed when he left to fight Cell. Finally she blamed the boy himself.

Chi-Chi went and got the hatchet that was close to where she landed. Goten was looking around so frantically for him mother that he never noticed the attack until it was too late. The edge of the blade hit the base of his skull and shattered. The demi-saiyan survived and remained conscious, but he was disoriented. 

Chi-Chi quickly took the boy inside and violently cut his new tail off. Goten could feel every single centimeter that was severed, and he could hear every word his mother called him and his father while she worked. It wasn't long before a whimpering cry Chi-Chi finally alerted her that her son was awake.

She twisted the tail in her hand, and what was still attached to Goten caused him to scream. The woman also dug her fingers in the new gash on the back of hie head when he still clung to the waking world. The pain allowed the poor cub to sink into blissful unconsciousness, but the last thing he saw was a satisfied smile growing on his mother's face.

When Goten finally woke up, he was surrounded by Gohan, Bulma, Vegeta, Trunks, and his mother. He never told anyone what happen, he claimed he didn't remember anything that happened that day, and the cub lived in fear until Goku took him away.

The door to Goku's chambers flew open making Tarble scramble to his feet in case it was an unauthorized saiyan that managed to get past the guards, but the massive amounts of hair put the younger prince at ease. He took his seat again as Raditz shut the door behind him while grumbling under his breath.

“Quite, brother. Goten's asleep.” Goku softly spoke with a finger held to his lips. The alpha nodded and made sure the heavy doors didn't slam close. After that was done, Raditz threw himself on one of the couches close by the two betas and covered his eyes with one burly arm. His tail unraveled from his waist to hang limply over the side of the furniture.

Goku and Tarble shared confused glance with each other. Normally, the long haired warrior would come back to the wing after dinner. King Vegeta put Raditz in charge of training the palace guards along with the revived Nappa, who was still mad at Vegeta for killing him. With the restoration of the saiyans, a significant number of warriors and guards had not come back.

It was a large amount of work, but Raditz seemed to enjoy it. This was out of character for the dominant to come storming in his brother's rooms like he did. Normally, he would take out his frustrations on training some of the weaker members so they could increase their strength.

“Raditz…” Kakarot was a bit hesitant to address his older brother. “What happened?” His wide eyes blinked as he tilted his head in confusion, doing his best to appear as innocent as possible. It was a trick he learned over time, and it seemed to calm his brother and father down whenever they got frustrated. 

Tarble clapped a hand over his mouth with a blush at the cute picture the older beta made, and the sound made the Raditz lift his arm to look at his brother. Seeing the look he was getting made a slight flush stain his cheeks. It was like looking a basket of puppies, and it could melt even the coldest heart.

“It's father. He and King Vegeta found Turles close to Earth two weeks ago.” Goku flinched at the name of the planet. Raditz gave him a sympathetic look. “Turles is going to stop there to deliver a message to Vegeta before he comes here. The idiot is going to get here sometime today, and father is pissed.” He finished as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

A whimper drew Raditz's and Tarble’s attention to a pale and trembling pregnant beta. His eyes were wide with fear and anxiety. Goku's hands fisted on one of the pillows on the couch to keep them from grabbing Goten and waking his cub up. He swallowed a few times before he could bring himself to speak.

“W-what did the message say? Did the king mention anything about the baby or me?” The scent of fear was permeating the room made Raditz's lip twitch in an aborted snarl, and made Tarble squirmed in his seat feeling anxious. The long haired saiyan shook his head, but the look in his eyes did nothing to calm his brother down.

“It was mostly about telling Vegeta how proud he was over his accomplishments. After that the king went into chewing him out over how he treated you, and his punishment. King Vegeta didn't mention you by name, but I know Vegeta is intelligent enough to put the pieces together. Turles might do something stupid while he's there too.” The dominant finished as he closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

Goku shook harder at the image of Vegeta he last saw, and felt blood drain from his face.


	9. Chapter 9

Fear bloomed into terror, and the spike of scent woke Goten up. The instant he sat up, his father grabbed him and held the cub to his chest. The boy looked around to see where the threat was, but all he saw were Tarble and his uncle. He looked back up at his father in confusion.

“He can't come here, Raditz! He can't!” Goku's face was ashen, and his shaking got worse. He stared at Raditz as he began shaking his head wanted to deny what he was just told. He pressed his body in the corner of the sofa where the back met the armrest as he drew his legs as close to his body as he could get.

Knowing it would be bad if Kakarot remained this scared, the dominant slowly moved so he could sit at the opposite side of the couch the beta was on. As soon as he held out a hand, the submissive was lunging into his arms. It took Raditz by surprise, but he was quick to support Goku's weight with his arms.

Goten wiggled from where he was being held, drawing the attention of his uncle. The cub looked so confused and a bit squished. Raditz slowly eased the grip the beta had on his son until Goten was able to get free of the death grip. He remained close so as not to contribute to the anxiety growing inside his father.

Poor Goku had tears pricking at eyes as he gripped at the armor covering the alpha’s chest. The beta was still shaking in fear as he pressed as close to the warmth and safety of his elder brother. Raditz ran a hand over the submissive's back as he gave Tarble a helpless look. The other beta shrugged as he looked with sad eyes on the one his brother hurt.

Before Raditz could say anything to calm Kakarot down, Bardock came rushing in through the doors. His sharp eyes looked over the room before the settled on the shivering mass in his eldest son's arms. The alpha was quick to come over to his cubs, and he tried to pull the beta away from Raditz.

Goku let out a whimpering cry when he felt himself being pulled out of Raditz's arms. He clung harder to his brother until the hands let go. He then buried his face in the crook of the dominant’s neck not even looking behind him to see who the other person was, he just curled up to make himself as small as he could. 

Bardock looked at his eldest in confusion as Tarble moved to shut the doors before Kakarot’s scent drew more alphas to the room. The slender saiyan locked the heavy doors and took up his seat again with Goten close by. Raditz sighed, knowing he was going to get smacked for this.

“I came here frustrated and told him about the message to Vegeta without thinking about it. As you can see, he's not taking it well.” Bardock gave him a look that made the younger warrior wince. Wanting to prolong his punishment, he lifted a had to bury it in thick spikes. He coaxed his brother to loosen the hold he had on his neck.

“Kakarot, it's just father,” Raditz softly spoke. The beta glanced over his shoulder to see mirror features. The next second, he was clinging to his father. The alpha gathered him up so he could sit back on the couch. The scent and presence of his sire had the trembling stopped in a few minutes. Goku pulled back to plead with Bardock.

“Father, please don't let him near me! He'll do it!” Tears spilled from dark eyes as he held onto the dominant with a tight grip. “It'll happen again! Please, don't let him come near me! I can't go through it again!” Goku buried his face in his father's neck, as one hand rubbed his back and the other held his head.

“I won't, Kakarot. I won't.”

Bardock was feeling a bit lost. He was alerted to the scent of fear coming from Kakarot's room by one of the guards, and he had come rushing to make sure his youngest was safe. However, seeing the beta on the verge of a panic attack threw him for a loop. The poor submissive was so worked up, he didn't even know his father was in the room.

“Calm down, Kakarot. It's going to be fine,” he whispered in his fearful son’s wild spikes. “You need to relax, cub. Everything’s fine, and Vegeta is no where near the planet. Remember?” Thankfully, the beta was calming down, and Bardock took this as a good sign. He massaged the back of Kakarot's neck to help him relax further.

“I'm sorry…” Goku muttered in his father's neck. He let go of Bardock's neck and pulled back a bit to look down at his hands that were clenched on his lap. Shame and leftover tears made his face red, and he lifted a hand up to roughly wipe at the remaining tear tracks. He felt as confused as the rest of the saiyans in the room.

“There's nothing to be sorry about, Kakarot,” Tarble spoke up for the first time since Raditz came. “I think you just had a mood swing. You've been very calm so far from what I hear. I'm surprised they haven't started earlier. The news just triggered one, that's all.” The younger submissive smiled at his friend, and he received a weak one in return.

“I recall this happening when Chi-Chi was pregnant with Gohan, but I don't think they were that bad,” Goku said as he tried to slide off Bardock's lap onto the seat between his father and brother, but the alpha tightened his hold, preventing the beta from moving. He squirmed a bit in his sire’s arms, but in the end just flopped against an armored chest.

“She was human, you are a saiyan. There is going to be a difference, Kakarot.” Bardock's deep voice rumbled through Goku as he spoke. His fingers went back to his son’s scalp for a massage that made a purr come out of the beta. “Just try and stay relaxed. It's not good for you to get so worked up in your condition.”

Goku hummed at the words as he melted. The purring in his chest got louder when the fingers in his hair pressed harder. He enjoyed the treatment he got from his father. The dominant would go out of his way to provide almost whatever his son needed, and the beta soaked up the attention like a starved child.

Bardock was nothing like what he expected, but than again, the rest of his race that he had interacted with so far was like that. Goku thought saiyans were supposed to be bloodthirsty, cruel, and violent. All the ones he had met supported this assumption, especially Turles and Vegeta when they first met.

Now that he was living among his own kind, he saw just how wrong he was, and it shocked him. Sure the saiyans were still a violent and battle loving people, but they weren't as cruel as the beta thought they were. Saiyans just lived with their instincts close to the surface. The species had a pack mentality with a flexible hierarchy, and family was everything to a saiyan.

The submissive’s own father was fiercely protective of his sons and grandson. Bardock would openly show affection with Goku, Goten, and to some extent, Raditz without any hesitation. The alpha cared very much for his family, and so far, he had done everything in his power to make sure they were safe and cared for.

Goku hadn't experienced this type of love since his adopted grandfather died on Earth when he was seven. Since that tragic night, the beta was forced to be his own protector. As he grew older, more and more people started to depend on his strength to keep everyone safe. Before he knew it, he was the unofficial protector of the whole planet.

The responsibility nearly overwhelmed him, and he felt the need to get stronger constantly. That feeling made him feel like he was living on edge the whole time, and that was the main reason that he married Chi-Chi though Goku didn't know it until now. She had an alpha’s attitude, and he was instinctively drawn to her.

Unfortunately, she couldn't provide the feeling of safety and security that he needed. So he trained harder to try and fill that void, and that caused a lot of tension in his marriage. By the time his oldest son was born, Goku felt like he was constantly looking over his shoulder for any type of threat.

When Vegeta came to Earth, the beta felt something shift inside of him as soon as he felt his strength. The power level of the flame haired saiyan just about matched his own, something the beta had never felt before. A feeling of what he thought was admiration washed over him whenever he saw the prince, but it wasn't until he saw Frieza kill Vegeta that he realized that it wasn't. 

The prince made him feel less edgy. As long as he knew his fellow saiyan was near, Goku felt he could finally relax. He was finally able to find a balance in his life that didn't demand the constant need to get stronger, and things seemed to be less tense in his life.

However, that day at the lake shattered any trust the beta had in Vegeta, and he thought he would never feel safe again. 

Goku looked up at his father and older brother with a smile on his face as they talked to Goten and Tarble. These two alphas proved him wrong. The strength Bardock possessed dwarfed all other energy signatures the submissive could feel, and Raditz wasn't too far behind. Neither one were quite as strong as he was, but it didn't matter anymore.

It was nice to be able to live without fear, and the constant need to increase his power.

“Kakarot?” Raditz asked making the beta open his eyes. “How about we go to one of the training rooms? You've been cooped up in here for days. I know you can't train, but Goten wants to spar with father.” The suggestion immediately appealed to the submissive, and he straightened up. 

Goku looked over at his son. Goten was bouncing on the balls of his feet with his tail wagging behind him. He had the puppy eyes, and the beta couldn't deny his cub. He looked to Bardock and got a nod accompanied with a smirk. The older saiyan looked eager for a fight, and his grandson would be a worthy opponent.

“Okay, let's go. Would you like to join us, Tarble? You might pick up some ideas for your technique.” The young prince looked thoughtful, but he agreed after a minute. Goten jumped in the air, cheering as he did. He immediately ran towards the door with a huge, beaming smile on his face.

“Come on, grandpa! Let's go!” The cub called over his shoulder as he went out the door. The adults laughed at the child’s enthusiasm as Bardock set his youngest son on his feet before chasing after the demi-saiyan. Raditz came up to Goku and guarded his brother as they walked down the halls.

The group came to a room close to their wing of the palace. The ceiling was domed for sparing in the air. The floor had a wide, rocky space for the fighters, and there were stone seats that surrounded the arena that progressively got higher the farther back they went. Goten and Bardock were already in the center of the room watching the other with serious expressions.

Goku, Tarble, and Raditz sat close to the arena that was thankfully empty for the moment. The pregnant beta groaned as he felt his baby wiggle inside of him. He settled against his brother as he looked down to watch the upcoming fight.

“How about we go super?” Bardock asked Goten, and got a raised eyebrow in response. “I haven't had the chance to spar with someone in that form in some time.” The green and black clad warrior got a grin as the demi-saiyan powered up effortlessly. The older man smirked as he did the same thing.

Tarble looked on with wide eyes that made the brothers chuckle. This was the first time the prince had the opportunity to see the legendary warrior of their race. The slender saiyan looked on with awe as he took in the power being generated by the pair below them. Goku nudged his side after a few long seconds.

“Kinda of takes your breath away the first time you see it, huh?” He laughed when all he got was a nod. Goku turned his attention back down just as both golden fighters lunged towards the other.

Both super saiyans met in the middle in the air and began to trade blows back and forth as they looked for a spot to strike. Goten was able to weave around his grandfather, but Bardock was quick to prevent some of his attacks. A hard punch to the stomach sent the cub flying down to crash in the floor, forming a shallow crater. 

Goten was quick to shake off the impact, and shot a ki blast as he launched back at his grandfather. The blast was quickly knocked to the side, but the cub managed to get a good hit in on the pure blood’s face. Bardock was pushed back in the air, but not as far as the boy was when he was stuck. 

Both fighters kicked up the speed of their blows making the room shake as shockwaves erupted from there fits and feet contacted. Thankfully, the infrastructure was durable enough to deal with the stress of the power of the blows. The longer the spar progressed the more clear the difference between the grandfather and grandson became clear.

While they were both super saiyans, Bardock was leagues stronger than Goten. The older saiyan was just on the cusp on ascending to the second tier of super saiyan power, and his years of fighting experience gave him an edge over his small opponent. Goten was still too young to reach that just yet.

The sounds and vibrations of the mock battle started to bring other saiyans to the room. As soon as they entered, all eyes fell on the pregnant beta watching the fight with sharp eyes, but a snarl from his older brother quickly put any thoughts of approaching out of their minds. The group of three were given a wide berth as more warriors came to watch the spectacle.

Goku was not oblivious to the crowd gathering in the room, and he was a little uneasy having so many dominant males around. Raditz put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer. The beta gave a brief smile to his brother before looking back to the air. Raditz kept his eyes more on the crowd than the fight, but he did see the smile he got and returned the gesture with a squeeze to the shoulder he was holding.

Luckily, none of the saiyans were stupid enough to try anything with Bardock powered up like he was at the moment. Rumors had spread around the palace and city about how viscous the older warrior was with any alpha that so much as looked at his youngest son too long with lustful eyes. One dominant had tried to force a kiss from Kakarot while he was with Bardock…his body was still missing.

A warrior came striding into the arena dressed in purple and black armor. He had a head topped with wild, black spikes, and narrowed eyes roamed over the room taking in that fight for a few long minutes before finding his target. A cocky smirk grew on his face that showed sharp, white teeth that contrasted with the dark color of his skin. 

Turles made his way closer to where Goku was sitting pushing people out of his way as he did. The space pirate caught a mouthwatering scent that could only come from a pregnant submissive, and he bit the inside of his cheek to prevent from groaning out loud. The ambrosia smell nearly made him loose his rational thinking.

A wall of tall warriors separated him from the group, so he took a moment to gather himself. This was going to take some delicate word if he wanted to get close to the beta. The alpha had heard hard it was for anyone to approach the beta, and he didn't want to give the overprotective father and brother a reason to maim him.

“Hey, Kakarot. Long time no see. You look good.” Turles casually remarked as he finally approached the three. He only stopped when he saw Raditz tensed and shift to get ready to push his brother behind him. Once again, the pirate found himself holding his hands up in a show of nonaggression. 

“Relax, hairball, I'm not going to try anything funny. I was just saying hi.” He glared at the long haired warrior. “No need to get your tail in a knot.” Turles turned his eyes back to the beta, and his face became serious. The former space pirate bowed at the waist with his right hand curled in a fist over his heart.

“It is a privilege and honor to be in the same room with you, Prince Consort. I momentarily forget my manners, please forgive my overfamiliarity.” Turles's tone didn't have any of his usual arrogance. He remained in that position without even flinching when Raditz let out a growl of aggression.

Turles wasn't worried, not when Kakarot was looking at him like he was at the moment.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate that I've made Goku suffer so much... :( But things WILL improve for our poor uke.

Goku looked at the alpha bowed before him with mild interest. It seemed all saiyans he had a bad experience with wanted to make amends, but the way Turles came off put him on edge a bit. The beta got momentarily distracted by the space pirate’s power level. He was stronger than most other saiyans, but it wasn't enough to claim long term interest.

“You are forgiven, Turles. Just do not make this a habit.” The beta spoke with the authority he rarely used as Consort. There was a quality to the alpha’s ki and scent that put Goku off, and he wanted more distance from the other. The pirate also had a glint in his eye that made him nervous. Tarble was making a face beside him, letting the larger submissive know it wasn't just in his head.

Turles frowned before making his face neutral again as he got out of his bow. This wasn't how he planned on getting Kakarot attention. The beta was supposed to be impressed with his strength and offer him a chance. It seemed like he was going to have to find another way into the beta's bed.

“You've said what you wanted to say, now leave.” Raditz stood between his brother and the dark skinned saiyan with a smirk on his face that Turles wanted to wipe off. Thinking he better not push his luck when he saw Bardock watching him, he gave the two betas one more bow of the head and left.

“Thanks, Raditz.” Goku whispered as soon as Turles was out of ear shot. He purred as he nuzzled under the larger saiyan's chin, and the alpha nuzzled him return. “I don't like the way he was looking at me.” The next words were so hard to hear over the spar that Raditz had to strain his ears to hear them.

“Neither did I,” Raditz admitted back, and he put an arm around the submissive's shoulders. His sharp eyes roamed over the crowd as he made a mental note to speak with Bardock about Turles. Knowing the idiot like he did, Raditz wouldn't put it past the other alpha not to do something to his little brother.

Goten yelped, drawing his father's attention back to the fight. He could only snicker at the sight of Bardock holding the cub’s blond tail with one hand while the other was in his hip. The adult had a smirk on his face as the boy limply struggled to get loose. Goten finally got so weak from the hold that he powered back down.

“You did good, cub. Next time, make sure your opponent doesn't get your tail.” Bardock switched his grip from the now black tail to the scruff of the boy's neck. Goten weakly nodded as his grandfather floated the two back over to Goku. The alpha dropped the demi-saiyan in his father's arms.

“Good job, Goten. You're improving so quickly. We're going to work on your speed as soon as I get back into shape. That'll help with keeping your tail safe.” Goku smiled at his cub, and got a glowing smile in return. Goten's energy was slowly coming back, but he loved being in the embrace of his father more than anything. 

Bardock was looking over at the gathering of warriors with a glare, making them quickly leave the room. The dominant caught sight of Turles staring at his youngest son and licking his lips. He gave the pirate a snarl when he felt Bardock glaring to him, but the reaction wasn't what he predicted.

Turles smirked back at Bardock and gave him a mocking salute before following the crowd out of the room. When the older saiyan looked back at his family, he saw Raditz looking at him. The long haired man nodded and motioned with his eyes on where Turles was standing. Bardock groaned to himself.

His beautiful son was catching a lot of interest. With him being as strong as he was and the actions he took to revive the saiyan race, he was the most desirable carrier on the planet. Every dominant that caught Kakarot's scent wanted to come after him for one reason or another. It was all one big headache for Bardock, but the situation allowed him some type of training, so it wasn't all bad.

“Is there anywhere else you'd like to go, Kakarot? It's a nice day outside. How about a walk in your gardens?” Bardock asked as he powered down. Goku's eyes lit up at the suggestion, and the older alpha chuckled at the look on the submissive's face. Bardock found out that Kakarot loved the outdoors awhile back, and the courtyard that the beta's study overlooked was gifted to him.

“I need to get back to training with the recruits. They'll be slacking off without me there, and we can't have that. I'll see you later this evening,” Raditz said as got to his feet. He ruffled his brother's and nephew’s hair, then he left the arena. Goten giggled as he fought off the massive hand on his head. 

“I need to go to meeting with my father. He and his advisers want to know if we should lower the shield concealing the planet to the rest of the universe.” Tarble sounded thrilled that King Vegeta wanted his advice, and he was quick to hurry off with his tail wagging fiercely behind him.

“Looks like it's just us.” Goku looked up at his father with a grin. Goten laughed as Bardock took the cub and set him on his shoulders. The trip to get to the garden was quick and silent. The alpha was on alert whenever they traveled within the palace, and Goku stuck close to his father until they came outside.

The garden was huge. There was a large tree in the very center of the landscape with a stream flowing lazily just a few feet from it. Smaller trees were scattered around the area with flowerbeds here and there. It was a peaceful place that helped Goku relax when things got too stressful. He was a child of the mountains at heart.

A pink and yellow butterfly caught Goten's attention, and he leapt off his grandfather's shoulder to chase after it. The beta chuckled with a warm smile at the innocent action as he took a seat at the base of the large tree. He tilted his head back to feel the cool breeze and warmth of the two stars Vegetasei orbited.

Bardock observed his son as he also sat down. There was something troubling him ever since Kakarot begged him to keep Vegeta from him. It was not the first time the beta had said something like that before, but he was never this fearful. The alpha didn't want to bring it up so soon after what happened earlier, but he needed to.

Turles showing up when he did meant that Vegeta wouldn't be too far behind, and Bardock needed to know what was going on in his son’s head. The fear he displayed in his room wasn't the complete result of a mood swing, but something else heightened the emotion. He just hoped Kakarot would tell him and not panic.

“Kakarot, can I ask you something?” Bardock started gently, and the submissive hummed in response. The father was hesitant, but now that he started there was no going back. “What were you talking about earlier? What couldn't you go through again?” 

Goku froze, but he didn't start to panic which was a good sign. He did loose a bit of color as his head snapped so he looked over at his father. He didn't know what to say at first. The beta immediately wanted to deny that he ever said what he did before, but a laugh from his son drew his eyes over to the boy.

Goten had finally caught the butterfly, and was watching it crawl over his fingers with a bright smile. This was the same boy that wouldn't even relax unless one of his trusted family members was nearby. Seeing the good it did for the cub to talk about what happened in the past made Goku second guess keeping this hidden.

“I…I was…” He took a deep breath to steady his shaking voice. Bardock moved closer to his son at the fragile sound of his voice. Goku narrowed his eyes down at the grass by his right leg. It was so hard to admit that it happened, and he didn't want his father thinking he was a weak warrior especially with everything else that's been going on lately.

“I was…drugged…and r-raped.” The beta hugged himself as he looked up to see his son play in the flowers. Goten was the evidence of that night, but Goku wouldn't give that cub up for the world no matter how he came into being. The only regret the beta had was not being there for his son when he needed him most.

Bardock felt like a bucket of ice water spilled in his veins. He stared blankly at his son as he tried to process what he was told. The dominant followed Kakarot's gaze to his grandson and felt even more horrified. He swallowed a few times to get his throat to work, but the submissive saved him the trouble of talking.

“It was seven years ago. There was a large and dangerous threat to the planet named Cell, and I and the other defenders of Earth had to stop him. I'm sure you've heard of him at least. Anyway, on the night before the fight, I wanted to take my wif-…I mean, Chi-Chi out for one last peaceful night. Gohan was spending time with his friend from Namek, Piccolo, that night so it was the two of us.

“At the beginning, everything was fine. We went and had dinner and saw a movie at a close town. It was starting to get dark around that time, but Chi-Chi asked if we could take a walk through the park before we went home. I didn't think anything about it. I wanted to treat her in case something happened to me the next day, so we went.

“I was feeling a bit dizzy since the movie, but I ignored the feeling. Then I blacked out sometime during the walk.” Here Goku tightened his grip on his arms so much that blood started to drip from where his fingernails were, but the look in his eyes was dead. It was like he was describing the story like it happened to someone else. He was lost in the memory.

Flashback Goku's POV

When I woke up, I was in some kind of dark room with only the bed I was on in it. I felt disoriented, and it was hard to move anything. It was then I noticed that I was restrained to the bed with ki restriction cuffs and chains, and I was naked. The room was cold, and I had no idea how I got there.

I tried to tell my arms to pull, but I couldn't even get them to move an inch. My head felt like it was full of cotton so all I could do was lay and nothing I did helped to clear my thinking. Noise was muffled, and everything was blurry. The sound of a door opening behind me caught my attention, but I couldn't move to see who it was.

I was blindfolded then, and I caught Chi-Chi’s scent as I felt a body straddle my waist. I tried to ask her what was happening, but she shoved something in my mouth as soon as I opened it. My mind was able to comprehend enough for me to realize how I was positioned on the bed, and I felt my blood run cold.

I was chained spread eagle with all four limbs tied to a different post with ki restraints, I was blindfolded and gaged, and I had been drugged with something powerful enough to weaken me so I couldn't fight back. All supposedly done by my own wife. The severity of my situation cleared my head, but I still couldn't find the strength to move.

“You woke up a little too soon, Goku.” Chi-Chi’s voice came from above me, and I tried to ask her to let me go. My words were changed into muffled sounds as the ball in my mouth kept any intelligent sounds from being heard. “It's not nice to talk with your mouth full, dear. I thought I taught you that when we got married.”

She spoke to me like she always did on a daily basis, but a cold tone in her voice made me shiver and confused me. Why did she sound so hateful? Did she always sound like this, or was this something just recently? 

“Goku, you need to understand that this can not go on. How many times have you run off to fight and left me behind? You can't keep gallivanting around and not do your duty as a husband and father.” I felt like the woman was trying to put a leash on me. Didn't she realize that fighting was in my blood?

“I have told you this numerous times, but you still continue to do as you please. No more. This will be the last fight you will participate in, and I'm going to make sure this time it will sink into that thick skull of yours!” I swallowed as I felt her weight shift to one side. The room was silent as Chi-Chi righted herself.

“I have taught Gohan all his life so far, but the material he covers is not all I know. I'm going to teach you a lesson that you won't forget.” She hissed out as she drove something in my arm. I let out a shout as soon as the needle punctured my skin. “Don't worry, honey. It's not fatal. All it will do is make you more compliant.”

Instantly, I began to feel disconnected with my body, but I was completely aware of what was happening. A small hand patted my cheek softly, and the touch sent tingles down my spine. I panted heavily through my nose as heat ignited under my skin, and I felt my member twitch as blood rushed southward.

“Good! It's working already!” Chi-Chi sounded pleased as she moved. I could feel something just above my tip, and my wife plunged down on me. I fought against my restraints at the almost painfully heightened sensation. I heard her moan as she began to slowly rock on top of me with her hands resting on my abs.

Almost embarrassingly quick, I reached my peak. She came at the same time I did, and collapsed on my abdomen. I felt myself twitch a few more times inside of her, but I didn't soften like I usually would after Chi-Chi and I had sex. I made a questioning noise as my wife lifted herself off of me.

“Oh? Did you think it would be done so soon?” Chi-Chi asked as she moved completely off of me. “Goku, it's only begun. Now, I can't keep up with your stamina, so I asked a few people to help me.” I froze as the door opened again, and several male scents came in the room. I turned in the direction of her voice as fear overcame me again.

“Now, boys. I got the blood samples for your boss already, so all you need to do is enjoy yourselves. Don't damage him too much, he needs to fight tomorrow, and don't let him see you. Other than that, you can do whatever you want.” I was frozen in disbelief, and I weakly jerked at the chains again.

“Goku, you be good now. Just remember that if you disobey me or run from me, I'll do this again, only the next time will be much worse. I'm sure these fine gentlemen will be more than happy to help me with punishing you for disobedience.” Chi-Chi hissed in my ear again. Then she rubbed the top of my head as she gently kissed my cheek. 

I screamed as I heard her walk away from me. All that responded was the snick of a door closing and rough hands grabbing me.

End Flashback and Goku's POV

“I spent the whole night in that room. I lost count of how times those men took advantage of me, but I…” Goku bit his lip and bowed his head as tears dropped from his face. “I can still hear the words and names they said to me. I can still feel the way their hands gripped me. The next day, I was still under the influence of the sedative Chi-Chi gave me. That's the real reason I had Gohan fight Cell. I wasn't strong enough…

“I know Vegeta wasn't part of that, but I'm afraid of what he would do to me. I know he would never hurt his own child, but me…well I'm fair game after the cub is born.” The beta trembled at the thought, and the memories he tried to suppress. 

Bardock watched as his youngest son curled in on himself with a pained and broken look. How much did Kakarot suffer in his life? It was supposed to be better when he sent the boy off world, but now it seems like keeping him here when Frieza blew the planet up would've been a much kinder fate.

Bardock said nothing as he moved to sit next to the submissive. He just put an arm around his cub’s shoulders and pulled him closer. The emotionally numbed saiyan followed without protest. He shut his eyes as he leaned against his father's chest. He was just so tired, but a weight had been lifted off his shoulders after telling the alpha that nightmarish story.

Kakarot had been betrayed too many times by the people he trusted most. Could anything help put his heart back together?


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My 27th birthday is tomorrow on Feb. 23. My whole week has been booked with friends and family wanting to celebrate with me. I might not be able to post another chapter this week, but I did want to give you, my readers, a gift from me to you!
> 
> Enjoy!

“Vegeta, are you sure you know where we're going?” Gohan asked the elder saiyan as he piloted the ship. The full blooded saiyan's only response was a twitch of the eyebrow. Gohan continued on after he carefully thought of a response that wouldn't get him blasted.“According to the sensors, there's nothing at this star system.” 

“Yes, I know exactly where we are, and where we need to go! I've got this part of the galaxy memorized like the back of my own hand! Just because something isn't showing, doesn't mean that it's not there, brat! Now, sit down and shut up!” Vegeta snarled as he finally lost his patience.

Gohan took a step back from the temperamental man. He sat down on the chair next to Trunks and crossed his arms over his chest with an almost silent huff. Ever since they left Earth, the former prince has been shorter tempered and extremely eager to get to the saiyan home world. 

It had been a long three weeks together, and the cramped ship did nothing to help with things.

Bulma had a Capsule Corp. ship almost exactly like the one Goku took to get to Namek with only enough room added for two more beds. The three males had been living on top of each other all this time, and Gohan couldn't wait to leave this metal ball. If they didn't stop soon, he wouldn't be held accountable for his actions.

Vegeta had hardly slept the first week into their trip. He would hover over the flight controls or train in the lower levels of the ship to burn off energy. More then once did Trunks and Gohan carried him to back his room once he ran out of steam. It took Gohan threatening to reset the coordinates back to Earth and locking the older saiyan out of the computer to get him to settle down a bit.

“Gohan?” Trunks looked over at his fellow demi-saiyan. “Do…do you think Goten will be happy to see me?” The question was whispered to the teen. He gripped the orange belt of his gi and twisted it around his hands as he waited for a response. 

Gohan frowned at the question. Trunks had been very quiet, and frankly, it was worrying the teen. At first he thought it was a method to keep from annoying his father, but now…the oldest half blood suspected it was something else. He leaned over to ruffle lavender hair with a smile on his face.

“Of course, Trunks. You're his best friend. Why wouldn't he be happy to see you?” The flinch the teen got from the cub made Gohan narrow his eyes. He looked back over at Vegeta, who was checking some readings from multiple monitors, before standing up. Gohan whispered in the boy’s ear, “Come with me, Trunks.”

The boy gulped as he moved to follow the teen to his room. Gohan motioned for Trunks to take a seat on the full size bed, and looked down at the younger saiyan with a raised eyebrow. When the teen saw the sweat that broke out on the cub’s face, he became more concerned than anything.

“Trunks? What's wrong? You can tell me. I'm not going to be upset or anything, just tell me what's bugging you.” Gohan gently spoke as he kneeled in front of his brother's best friend. He tilted his head down to see watery blue eyes, and Trunks sniffed as his hands clenched from where they rested on his knees.

The guilt and depression of not having his best friend in his life was eating him alive, and he couldn't take anymore. The cub bursted into tears as he flung himself in Gohan’s arms. The teen quickly caught Trunks, but now he was even more confused, concerned, and worried then before. The scent of tears had Vegeta rushing to check on his son, and saw the two demi-saiyans on the floor.

“It's all my fault! He left because of me! Goten hates me now!” Trunks sobbed out in the crook of the older saiyan's neck. “I was jealous that he got his tail! Then he told me he liked liked me, and I yelled at him! It's my fault! It's my fault! I'm sorry, Gohan! I didn't mean it! I didn't! He'll never want to speak or see me again!”

Gohan blinked at Vegeta as the oldest saiyan on the ship rubbed his forehead. Neither of them thought anything like this had happened, but this explains why Trunks was so depressed over the past few months. It seems Vegeta's not the only one hurting one of Kakarot's family. Gohan looked back at the bundle of sobbing saiyan cub and rubbed his back.

“Trunks, calm down. I'm not mad.” The teen didn't have the heart to be angry at the boy, not when he was crying his heart out like he was at the moment. “Hey, it's okay. I'm sure Goten doesn't hate you.” Trunks began to hiccup as he calmed down with the softly spoken words being muttered to him.

Vegeta kneeled down beside the adolescent and pulled his son into his arms. Trunks immediately clutched at the former prince as a chestnut tail curled over his back. Suddenly, a lavender tail wrapped around the larger one of his father, but the boy was so upset he didn't notice the extra appendage.

“Son, take a deep breath.” Vegeta advised as he pulled back to look at Trunks's face. The blue eyes and his face was red, and he looked absolutely miserable. Several more hiccups came out as he tried to follow the pure blood’s instructions. It took a couple of tries before he could drag one in with out the hiccups. “That's it. Now take another.”

Gohan watched amazed as the once cruel warrior gently talked a child into calming down from a large emotional outburst. Vegeta had come a long way since the teen first met him, but he still had a long way to go as far as Gohan was concerned. Within minutes, Vegeta had Trunks asleep in his arms.

“What's with your family and mine? I mean, first you and dad and now Trunks and Goten.” Gohan quietly asked as he stood up with the older man. “Do I need to be on the look out for one of your relatives or something when we land on Vegetasei? This can't be normal even for us…”

Vegeta snorted in amusement at the question as he watched his cub. One of his family members flashed in his mind, but he pushed it away before the thought took root. Both older saiyans took a seat on the bed with twin, tired sighs. Trunks whimpered in the former prince’s arms as he was shifted, but he didn't wake.

“Poor kid. He must've been holding this in the whole time. It had to have been bothering him.” Gohan muttered as he looked at the lavender haired child with sympathy in his eyes. He reached over and smoothed a few wayward strands of hair out of the sleeping face.

“He's inherited some of my bad traits, I'm afraid. I just hope he doesn't develop my pride. Something like that could cost him greatly in the future.” Vegeta tucked the boy in Gohan's bed. “He's going to be out for some time. Come on, he needs the rest.” Gohan followed the shorter warrior back to the bridge of the ship.

“I feel responsible for that.” The former prince admitted as soon as he retook his seat in front of the controls. He covered his face with a gloved hand and let out a tired sigh. “He must have heard me ranting about Kakarot and came to the wrong conclusion. Seems I must apologize for even more when I see Kakarot and Goten.”

The black haired teen didn't say anything, but the look on his face showed that he agreed with that statement. A silence fell over the two as they drifted in their thoughts. Gohan looked over at one of the monitors when it flashed a set of coordinates. He tilted his head in as he looked at the readings.

“Vegeta, how much longer until we get there?” He hoped he wouldn't get a reaction like he did earlier, but he mentally braced himself for it.

“It should take a few hours. We should be entering the solar system soon.” Vegeta spoke with a groan. He shifted in the chair, and a few pops came from his back.“I can't wait to get out of this tin can. The pods I used when I worked for Frieza were better than this. We could sleep the time away at least.”

Gohan hummed in response. He had never traveled in one, but he knew they were smaller than this ship. Even if he was sleeping the whole time, the teen was sure he'd feel claustrophobic anyway. He'd rather have the option of moving around compared to being forced to remain sitting for weeks on end.

“Attention. One hour to unknown destination. Please secure all loose articles before entering atmosphere.” A robotic voice came from the console of the ship. A sudden rush of relief and excitement came over the two.

Vegeta was quick to spin around, and his fingers flew over the keyboard to pull up the picture on the view screen. Gloved fingers hovered over the screen, but not touching as the planet came into view. His breath left him in a rush and unexpected tears blurred his vision as he stared at an image he hadn't seen in over thirty years.

A ruby red planet glowed under the light of a pair orange and yellow stars. Patches of white, orange, and yellow were scattered over the red. Grayish white clouds floated high above the surface, and the way they swirled made the sphere look like some kind of mystical jewel that floated in space.

“Is that Vegetasei?” Gohan whispered in a breathless awe as he took in all the different colors. He looked at the screen over the former prince’s shoulder. Vegeta could only nod in response as he looked over his home world like it would vanish into dust like it did so many years ago. “It's so beautiful.”

“Attention, unidentified craft. You are entering restricted space. State your identity.” Unfortunately, the moment was interrupted by a rough, feminine voice over the communications link. Static covered the beautiful image of the planet, and both saiyans scowled as another image replaced it.

A saiyan woman with long, spiky hair appeared with a frown and crossed arms. She had on blue and yellow armor on with straps instead of the shoulder wings. Some of her bangs covered her left eye and spilled over her left shoulder bound in sever leather ties to hold the mass in a contained manner.

“Watch your mouth, woman,” Vegeta growled at the female with his usual glare on his face. “Do you have any idea who you are talking to?” He wasn't in the mood for any back talk even if his title was taken away. The former prince donned his pride like a well worn cloak, and felt some smug satisfaction at the response he got.

Her eyes widened once she saw who she was in contact with, and she turned to the side to shout out after she pressed a button on her end to mute the sound. The female glared and shouted some more, but a smirk soon graced her features. She looked back at the screen and pressed a few more keys.

“Well, look what the lizard dragged in.” Her dry voice made Vegeta's hackles rise. “The disgraced prince finally comes back. Did you have fun playing pet?” Gohan looked shocked at the woman, and he moved a bit further from the fuming pure blooded saiyan as he felt his ki spike.

“Tatoma! Shut up!” A familiar voice came from one side. The woman let out a groan as her head fell back on her shoulders. A large hand grabbed the back of her armor pulled her away from the screen. A small scuffle came through the speakers. “And go report to Nappa! He's been looking for you!”

The burly form of Raditz filled the screen with a scowl and glare on his face. He took in the two on the ship as he crossed his arms. The long haired saiyan didn't acknowledge his older nephew at the moment as all his anger was targeted solely on the former prince.

“What are you doing here?” The question came out flat. “You're the last person anyone wants to see. What makes you think you'd be welcome now?” A sneer crossed his face. Any and all respect he once had for Vegeta had been severely reduced once he saw the state his younger brother was in. 

“I don't have to explain myself to you, weakling. Just make sure a port’s open for landing.” The shorter saiyan snarled at his old comrade. His patience was gone by now. Sparks of energy sparked along his chestnut tail, but he did his best to control his rage. He hated when others questioned him.

“Where is Kakarot?” Vegeta asked once he got a grip on his temper. The fighter was worried about his mate, and he wanted to see the beta as soon as possible. He quirked an eyebrow at Raditz and folded his arms over his chest in out of habit. Gohan perked up at this question. His tail started to twitch behind him and he focused on his uncle.

Raditz visibly bristled and snarled at Vegeta. The audacity of this man was beyond belief! The long haired saiyan slammed his fist on the edge of the console, making a dent in the reenforced metal. Sharp teeth flashed at the former prince in a show of rage, but the younger saiyan remained unfazed.

“What makes you think you can question the whereabouts of my little brother like you have any right to him?! You're not coming anywhere near Kakarot, Vegeta! He is no longer your concern!” Raditz's voice echoed off the walls of the ship with a viscous growl.

“The hell he’s not! He is MY mate! Kakarot belongs to ME! Now tell me where he is!” Vegeta shouted right back at Raditz, giving up any pretense of keeping his temper in check.

“He doesn't WANT to see you, jackass! Kakarot is perfectly happy without YOU! If you come anywhere near him, I'll rip your throat out!” The dark brown tail had come unraveled from behind the thick mane of hair. It was bushed up and lashing back and forth as its owner moved closer to the screen. Several shouts in agreement came from Raditz's end of the link.

“I'd like to see you try! You're no match me, so stay out of my way! I'll find Kakarot on my own, and nothing you or anyone else can stop me!” Vegeta’s tail matched the larger warrior, and his teeth were bared as well.

Raditz suddenly stopped snarling and stared at the former prince. A silent war of wills was waging between the two, but Raditz broke the stare down after a few long minutes. He moved back and ran a hand through his hair, but he was smirking. He let out a chuckle as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms again.

“You're right, Vegeta. I'm no match for you, so I can't do anything to stop you.” Shouts and growls of anger came over the speakers on the ship again, and Raditz glared over at the group of warriors in the room with him. “Shut the hell up, idiots! I'm not finished!” The warrior had to wait for the noise to die down before he could address Vegeta again.

“As I was saying, I can't do anything, but I know someone that can. He's very pissed at you, and I'd be surprised if you could get in the same room with Kakarot with your body intact. He isn't going to let you come waltzing in here, thinking you can take my brother. Just keep that in mind.” Raditz cut the link before Vegeta could snarl out a response.

The pure blooded saiyan stared at the black screen with a snarl still on his face. His tail thrashed wildly behind him and his hands were clenched tightly in fists. Growls made his body shake with the rage flowing through his blood, but he managed to keep the emotion from boiling over.

“That's what you think, Raditz. Nothing can keep me from Kakarot. He's my mate, and I will get him back.” He took deep breaths through his nose as he sat back down in the pilot’s chair. The ship was just now entering the planet’s atmosphere, and Gohan was quick to leave to get Trunks. The teen had nothing to say after that exchange.

Vegeta was so close to his mate, and he was determined that nothing would get in his way.

“I'm on my way, Kakarot.”


	12. Chapter 12

Bardock massaged his temples with a groan. 

The alpha was resting in his room in front of the fireplace after a long day with his youngest son. His heavy arms fell to rest on the armrests of his chair as he stared at flickering flames, the only source of light in Bardock's chambers. The gentle light was helping melt the stress form the last week that had built up on his shoulders.

The alpha was so angry with the people Kakarot ended up with in his life on Earth. He wanted so badly to go to the planet himself and show those ignorant fools what happens when you hurt his son. Unfortunately…there were three things stopped him from running to the nearest pod.

One, Kakarot still cared for most of his family and friends on that backwater mud ball of a planet. Granted most of the humans were supportive of the beta, but their lack of general knowledge on saiyans caused Kakarot some form of harm or discomfort. It baffled Bardock that his son's heart was so large and pure that he would still wish no harm on those people, but at the same time, the saiyan warrior loved that quality. 

The second reason was Vegeta. The hot headed man was sure to come to Vegetasei to protest his punishment, and since the former prince isn't stupid, he'll be looking for Kakarot as well. Bardock wasn't sure why Vegeta would be looking for the submissive he claimed, but he did know that his son was terrified. Hopefully, Vegeta will try to do the right thing by Kakarot, but the younger saiyan was still going to get a beating.

Finally, there was Turles. That sly bastard had been almost stalking Kakarot as soon as touched down on Vegetasei. Raditz, Tarble, the guards, and Bardock had caught him numerous times skulking around the beta's wing of the palace, but he always managed to slip away before anything could be done about him.

Turles had tried several times to approach Kakarot. The dark skinned saiyan was somehow nearby whenever the beta left his chambers. He acted very charming towards his doppelgänger, but the look in his eyes made Bardock on edge. The dark lust swinging inside cruel eyes angered the older alpha, but he could never do anything to the other without leaving his son vulnerable.

Bardock hated that Kakarot knew the space pirate was after him, and his son was becoming paranoid. He couldn't rest easy without either Raditz or his father with him all the time now even in his own set of rooms. The two alphas were now taking rotations staying with the submissive all the time now, but Kakarot was still constantly looking over his shoulder.

When Raditz was looking after his brother, Bardock would go hunting for Turles. He was hard to track, and he would never stay in the same area as Bardock would if Kakarot wasn't with him. While the space pirate was determined to win the beta over, he was wise enough to do so extremely carefully. 

The dominant growled at the thought of the dark saiyan. Bardock was at least four times stronger than Turles, but all that strength was useless if he couldn't corner his target. Every time he tried to get close to the pirate, he would either slip away or another saiyan would distract Bardock.

A heavy knock on his door broke the alpha out of his thoughts. He glared at the thick piece of wood that sounded another couple raps before turning his attention back to the flames. The person didn't wait for Bardock to snarl at them to leave before another male came walking in the room. 

The green and black clad warrior ignored his uninvited guest as he slumped down in his seat and places a hand over his eyes. Heavy footsteps came closer to his location, and the rustling sound of clothing signaled that his guest has taken a seat across from his own. When nothing was said, Bardock's curiosity got the better of him, and he looked up.

“Bardock, why the snarling face? You look like you did when your eldest son let that pack of saber wolves in the palace for not being placed on Vegeta's combat team. What's troubling you, old friend?” King Vegeta chuckled at the surprisingly fond memory as he took in the other saiyan's features.

“More like what's not troubling me, Vegeta.” Bardock sighed again as he tilts his head back. He pulled himself back up in his seat and rested his head on a fist. “I'm not sure how long I can remain calm without snapping and killing someone…like that pirate.” He snarled out the last bit making the brown haired man look at him in surprise.

“Pirate… You mean Turles? What does he have to do with anything? From what I've heard and seen around the palace, he hasn't caused anything that would make you stressed.” K. Vegeta (A.N. This is how the king is going to be identified from now on.) tilted his head. The thought that popped in his head made him snort in amusement.

“Unless, of course, he's after your son like every other alpha on Vegetasei.” The monarch said that last bit as a joke, but the serious look on Bardock's face caused whatever mirth was there to fade away. He gave his friend an incredulous look as he moved to lean forward in his chair a bit.

“No! Surely he can't be so absurd to think that he could ever pursue a relationship with Kakarot! Does he have suicidal tendencies? Vegeta would never allow another dominant to so much as touch his mate.” A dark glare came from Bardock, and K. Vegeta was quick to add. “Not to mention what you would do. Did he hear about that idiot that tried to come on to Kakarot in front of you? What did you do to him anyway?”

“Trust me…You don't want to know. It would probably give you nightmares, and you might actually have me arrested if you did.” The spiky haired saiyan smirked in grim satisfaction at the memory. “All you need to know is that he deserved what he got, and at this rate, Turles is going to join him as soon as I get my hands on him.”

K. Vegeta cringed at the gruesome image that appeared in his head. The brown haired saiyan know how vicious Bardock could be at times. They use to conquer planets together when they were younger. Some of those battles made the monarch question his friend's sanity at times, but few warriors were as capable as Bardock was.

“Where is Kakarot now?” K. Vegeta asked to change the subject somewhat so he could ignore the images of what would happen to Turles if he wasn't careful. “I know you and Raditz have been keeping a close eye on him. His due date is in about two and a half months.” He muttered to himself as he stroked his goatee and thought.

“He's sleeping in his chambers. Kakarot's been so stressed with everything that's happened lately. I hope he manages to sleep through the night.” Bardock looked over his shoulder at the door connecting his room with his son's. “Raditz is on duty at the defense grid tonight so I'm here to keep an eye on him.”

Just then, a screen lit up along the wall disturbing the two alphas. Bardock grumbled under his breath as he got up to answer the transmission. K. Vegeta followed just behind him out of curiosity. With the flip of a switch, the female warrior, Tatoma, appeared. Seeing just who was with Bardock, the woman was quick to salute.

“Your Majesty! We've picked up an unidentified ship coming into the sector! It's your son!” Tatoma flinched from the massive growl that rumbled in the green and black clad dominant. She licked her lips as she hesitantly continued. “His…his ship landed in the northern sector. Our sensors show him and two others on their way here before they were destroyed by a power surge. Lieutenant Raditz and a few others have gone to intercept him, sir.”

“I see. Thank you, Tatoma. Inform Nappa and the palace guards about this. Best to prevent what bloodshed we can.” The brown haired saiyan looked as his friend out of the corner of his eye as he relayed his orders. The female warrior nodded with another salute to her king. “Good. You are dismissed.” The screen went black within seconds.

Bardock was shaking and snarling as he paced in his room. The alpha was doing everything he could to keep his anger and ki from spiking so as not to wake his youngest son up. The timing was horrible. He was just starting to relax from his week, but now that was out of the question. Another growl shook his frame.

He couldn't even leave to go looking for the former prince! Bardock refused to leave his son unguarded, but he itched to beat Vegeta to an inch from his life. A hand came down on his shoulder, and the dominant glared at the king with a snarl on his face.

“Calm down, Bardock. There's nothing you can do for now.” K. Vegeta was torn from wanting to see his eldest and keeping his oldest friend from murdering his cub. At the moment, Bardock was literally shaking with rage, and if he didn't calm down soon, he'll go super and alert the pregnant beta in the next room.

Bardock continued to snarl and glare at the King of all Saiyans as he stilled his pacing. His paternal instincts were demanding that he find the threat to his cub, and deal with it. Suddenly, the sharp smell of fear accompanied by a terrified cry pierced the cloud of his rage and made his head snap to the door across the room.

“Kakarot!!!”

~Just after the Capsule Corp. ship landed~

Vegeta took in a deep breath as soon as the door opened. He relished in the scents of his home planet for several long minutes before extending his senses to hunt for his mate’s energy signature. His dark eyes snapped open as his head looked in the direction of the glow of a city in the far distance.

A smirk and a wag of his tail signaled his excitement to the two demi-saiyans behind him. Gohan and Trunks followed the other's gaze to the city. All three were eager to head out in search of their missing companions, but the sudden feeling of several kis ruined the good mood. 

“Vegeta.” Gohan called out to the pure blood. “I'm going against my better judgement, but you go on and look for dad. Trunks and I can handle the greeting party.” The teen glared over at him with a dark look while the boy gave his father a confident smirk. Vegeta looked slightly shocked at the offer. “Don't make me regret this.” 

Gohan and Vegeta stared each other down in silence. Trunks watched from the sidelines as the oldest of the three clapped a hand down on the taller saiyan's shoulder. A look of understanding was shared between the two. The pure blood gave his stepson a nod and took a few steps back.

With a powerful surge of super saiyan energy, the former prince launched himself in the sky. He wasn't going to pass the chance of getting to Kakarot like this. His lean form cut through the darkness as he got closer to the palace. Vegeta's sharp eyes landed on a balcony in a secluded part of the castle.

He lowered his ki and quietly touched down on the jasper stone with a soft tap of his boots. Vegeta walked over to the door looking inside the dark room. He could make out the shadowy shape of a bed with a person sleeping on top of it. A gloved hand reached for the doorknob and slowly turned it.

His heart raced in his chest as the door swung silently open. Vegeta stepped inside and shutting the door as he did so. The alpha remained still as his eyes adjusted to the lack of light in the room. He felt like some kind of thief as he took in the cozy features of the room with a pleased smile on his face. This place definitely suited his mate's new status.

Plush carpet muted his steps as he came closer to Kakarot. Vegeta could feel his fingers and tail twitch with the desire to touch his mate, but he didn't want to wake the other just yet. The former prince finally stopped at the head of the bed, and he just drank in the sight and sweet scent of the sleeping beta.

He was alone for once. Goten was staying with Tarble tonight so Kakarot could sleep without interruption. At the moment, the submissive was in so deep a sleep that he didn't sense his nighttime visitor creeping closer to him in the darkness.

Kakarot was shirtless and facing him as he slept on his side. The sheets and blanket had slipped down to cover everything below his hips. His form was curled around the swell of his belly that was exposed to the hungry gaze of the alpha. The submissive's black tail and one hand rested on the taunt skin of his waist while his left hand rested palm up by his face.

Vegeta took in the soft looking skin and hair of the younger saiyan. The sweet scent of his pregnant mate made the former prince’s mouth water with desire. He wanted to roll around in that smell, letting it coat every single inch of his body. A chestnut tail fluffed up as it swayed behind the dominant.

Slowly so he wouldn't disturb the beta, Vegeta moved to sit on the edge of the bed. His tail stretched out on top of the blanket to get as close as possible to the submissive. As much as he wanted to crawl into bed and hold Kakarot as he slept, he was content for the moment to watch. 

A soft moan had Vegeta's member stiffening slightly as the large form shifted closer to the scent and heat of the dominant that sat beside him. The former prince held his breath as Kakarot's hand stopped half an inch from the alpha’s tail. The tip of the furry appendage twitched at the heat coming from the other.

Vegeta couldn't resist the temptation to touch the other male, and he moved to pull the glove on his right hand off. Calloused fingers hovered over the hand by his mate’s face for a few long minutes wondering if the touch was worth the risk of waking Kakarot up, but another soft sound from the beta made up his mind.

The alpha gently trailed the pads of his fingertips down the inside of the arm closest to him. The skin he touched was softer than the last time he came in contact with the taller saiyan. His eyes followed the trail he made with his fingers, and he swallowed a groan that wanted to come out. Unfortunately, he couldn't stop the purr building in his chest to save his life.

Vegeta's touch grew firmer as his hand glided over the smooth skin to rest on the left side of Kakarot's face. He cupped the cheek and brushed his thumb just under a closed eye. The feelings of relief and regret washed over the dominant in a confusing mixture as he continued to touch his mate.

The alpha leaned over to gently brush his lips against Kakarot's. The beta was safe and lacked the scent of any other dominant other save for his family. Vegeta's purr grew louder as his mate sluggishly followed after him once the older saiyan pulled back. A smug grin grew on the awake male’s face as a whimper escaped pink lips.

Kakarot made a more coherent sound as Vegeta pressed their mouths together with a firmer touch. The scent of cloves and the warmth of the alpha’s touch started to pierce the fog of sleep. The beta's fingers twitched on his belly at the wonderful feeling, and a soft sigh came out when that hot mouth pulled away.

Dark eyes fluttered open and hazily took in the form sitting on the edge of his bed. The rough hand on his face brushed under a half lidded eyes as another set of dark eyes met Kakarot's. The submissive nuzzled into the hand on his face without thought. Once the scent and features of the alpha came into focus, the younger man's eyes flew open.

Vegeta directed a smile at the beta on the bed, and Kakarot froze under the dark eyes of the former prince.

“I've finally found you, Kakarot.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I'm not very good at fight scenes. I hope this is good.

Goku looked at Vegeta with wide eyes, and the scent of fear flooded the room. He scrambled to get farther away from the alpha, but a hand was quick to grab his wrist. A cry came from the submissive as he was tugged back to the former prince’s side, and he clawed at the hand holding him captive.

“Kakarot…” He quietly whispered. Vegeta was shocked at the amount of terror his mate was displaying in his attempt to get away, but he refused to allow Kakarot to escape from him. A fist came flying towards his face from the beta, but it was easily caught. The former prince moved to straddle the taller saiyan's thighs to keep him from kicking him.

The older man had to struggle to keep Kakarot pinned without hurting him or the baby. The taller warrior tried to throw Vegeta off his body with his well muscled legs, but the dominant hooked one of his own legs around the squirming saiyan's legs. His lip pulled back, exposing his gritted teeth, but it wasn't a threat on the former prince’s end.

Goku felt the blood drain out of his face when the alpha’s sharp teeth showed as he pinned his limbs to the bed. He continuously whimpered as he attempted to curl his body in a futile attempt to protect the curve of his belly, but Vegeta's weight kept him stretched out underneath the shorter body. Tears ran down Goku's face as he pressed himself as deep in the mattress as he could, and the submissive started to babble out of fear.

“D-don't…ple-please don’t.” The beta looked at Vegeta with wide, unseeing eyes. He was caught in the flashbacks with the time Chi-Chi left him at the mercy of those men, and the time when he almost lost his unborn cub to a pack of alphas. Goku pulled harder at the hands holding him down as his voice began to rise with his panic.

“I'm sorry…please let me go! Let me go! Please! Don't take him away! Please, stop it! Get off! Stop it! STOP IT, PLEASE!!” His voice echoed shrilly off the walls of his Goku's bedroom startling Vegeta and making him flinch at the volume. The submissive started to hyperventilate as he started to violently twist and buck under the alpha. 

It broke the stony heart of the former prince to see his precious mate begging out of terror. Vegeta tried to calm the beta with his purring, but the cries and pleading drowned out the soothing noise. Seeing as how that wasn't going to work, the dominant moved to nuzzle his face against Kakarot's cheek and neck.

The beta fought harder as soon as Vegeta just barely touched his neck. Finally loosing some of his patience with all the struggling, the alpha gave Kakarot a sharp nip to the mating mark on his shoulder. The taller male immediately went lax, going completely limp under the one that claimed him.

Feeling the pliant body under his hands lose the tension in its muscles, Vegeta started to purr as he licked at the mark. The deep rumbling vibrated in the submissive's chest, and he let out another whine. It wasn't as fearful as his noises were before, but there was still traces of terror that was packed in that one small sound. Unfortunately, Vegeta couldn't do anything further to calm the submissive.

There was a loud crash, followed by an enraged roar, and pain erupted from Vegeta's right cheek. The lean form of the saiyan warrior went sailing out the glass door leading out to the balcony. He flipped in the air a few times before he righted himself to glare at whoever interrupted his time with his mate only to stare in shock.

Bardock was snarling and glaring at the former prince as he looked up from Kakarot's balcony. His hands were clenched at his sides, and the dominant’s tail was puffed up and lashing behind him. Sparks of energy rippled over the tall warrior's body with his hair floating as his power steadily increased. He levitated up until he was about even with Vegeta.

The fact that Bardock, a lower class warrior, was able to punch him out of the room like he did both impressed and angered Vegeta. He could still feel the ache of a cracked cheekbone from where the blow made contact. The former prince snarled at the challenging look on the other dominant’s face, but the taller saiyan prevented him from speaking.

“How dare you… How dare you show up in Kakarot's room like that while he is finally getting some decent rest.” Bardock seethed. “Just what were you doing to MY son?!” The alpha blurred out of sight. He reappeared behind Vegeta with a kick aimed at his stomach, but the shorter man caught his ankle with one hand. 

The former prince gritted his teeth at the unexpected force behind the attack, however he didn't let that faze him. Two gloved hands gripped the leg in front of him and threw Bardock over his shoulder as he twisted around. Bardock used his other leg to strike a kick to the other's shoulder before he was released.

The blow hit its target, forcing the younger saiyan farther away from the room where his submissive was still semi paralyzed from the nip to his mark. Dark eyes flickered over to the broken door with a pained expression before they hardened to meet his opponent that was rushing towards him.

The two immediately started to trade blows and strikes back and forth. The force packed into the punches and kicks made the very air tremble as the snarling alphas fought. Vegeta's elbow sank into the lower abdomen of the older warrior, forcing him away to give the former prince more room.

“He might be your son, but Kakarot's MY mate!” Vegeta cupped his hands together to fire a ki blast at the older man while he was still unsteady in the air. The energy caught Bardock in the face, sending him crashing back down to the balcony of Kakarot's room. “I won't let anyone keep me from what is mine!” 

King Vegeta stood in the doorway watching the two dominant saiyans fight with a scowl on his face. His arms were crossed as he stood guard over the vulnerable being that his younger son was looking over at the moment. The monarch had summoned Tarble after Bardock went charging into Kakarot's room. 

He peered over to the bed where the beta was still unable to move freely. Kakarot was sluggishly trying to move off the bed so he could either get away from his son or watch the fight, but the sudden rush of endorphins from the nip to his mating mark was making it extremely difficult.

The older warrior looked back outside when his friend launched himself back in the sky with a roar of rage. The king observed the green and black clad saiyan power up as he went after the former prince again. As the fight went on, it was clear that Bardock was beginning to get the upper hand.

“You are a coward that doesn't deserve someone like Kakarot for a mate after what you did! You dishonored him with your actions!” Bardock yelled as Vegeta pushed himself to dodge the heavy blows the older man was raining down on him. “If you think I'm going to let you anywhere near him, you are stupider than I thought!”

“You got another thing coming if you think a low class like yourself could stop me!” Vegeta snarled as he was getting his ass handed to him. He was slowing getting tired and annoyed with this fight, and the younger warrior wanted to end it so he could get back to his mate. Finally his temper got the better of him, and he powered up to Super Saiyan 2 with a shout.

The flash of light and power forced Bardock back from the former prince. He glared at the other in what Vegeta thought was frustrated rage. The alpha’s smug attitude emerged as he crossed his arms with a smirk on his face. The golden energy danced along his frame, and he chuckled at his opponent.

“Now do you see?” Vegeta questioned as he watched Bardock seethe just a few feet from him. “There is no way you could measure up to my power. If you back down now, you can save yourself the humiliation of loosing this fight.” The now green eyes of the former prince caught movement down by his mate’s room.

King Vegeta, Tarble, Goten, and Kakarot were all watching the battle, and they weren't the only ones. Multiple saiyans had been awoken by the sounds of the fight, and they watched the alphas in the sky. Shouts and jeers came from the audience, and Vegeta soaked up all the attention especially the attention from the beta.

Bardock observed the cocky former prince with a frown on his face. The attitude displayed by his opponent added fuel to the older man's bad mood, and he could feel his blood demand that he show Vegeta his place. Taking one more close look to feel the level of power, confidence washed over Bardock.

“You think I'll loose this fight? Think again!” Bardock smirked at Vegeta as his power began to soar. He brought his hands to his sides and curled his body forward a bit as the energy he held surged through him. “Just because I spent the last thirty years in Otherworld doesn't mean that I was lazy!”

With a loud scream, Bardock erupted in golden light as he also transformed into Super Saiyan 2, shocking everyone that was watching the fight. He continued to shout as the aura flaring around him got brighter and bigger. With one final burst of energy, the tall saiyan finished powering up and smirked at his surprised opponent.

“Since when can Grandpa do that, Daddy?” Goten asked from his place by his father's leg. The boy had stars in his eyes as he looked at Bardock, and his tail was wagging faster than a metronome. He was almost vibrating in excitement as he watched the two pure bloods lunge at each other again.

“I…I'm not sure, Goten.” Goku was just as surprised as his cub when he felt the level of power his father displayed. He followed the fight with anxious eyes with a flinch whenever a blow from either warrior landed on a weaker spot on the body. A shockwave forced the beta to duck behind a wall beside the broken door.

The warriors in the air looked like they were dancing as they dodged, punched, and kicked. After a few minutes of this, it was clear that Bardock was gaining the upper hand again, and that made Vegeta push himself harder to keep up. The younger saiyan wasn't dodging as many blows as he was before, and scrapes and bruises were appearing over the exposed parts of his frame.

Vegeta was getting tired and angry very quickly. Here he was back on his home planet after years of drifting through space with his father, mate, and subjects watching him fight, and he was loosing to this third class! His pride burned with the humiliation as another kick cracked something in his chest. 

The younger man let out a muffled shout of pain as he tried to twist his body to protect the new injury, but the spiky haired saiyan refused to let this new advantage to get too far out of reach. Now that he had an opening, the more experienced warrior pushed forward more aggressively.

Bardock growled as he planted a fist just under Vegeta's rib cage leaving the former prince gasping for breath. He wanted to end this so the green and black clad saiyan stopped holding back. The older man followed that up by slamming his clasped hands down on the hunched form’s head with a shout. 

Vegeta was sent plummeting down to form a crater on the balcony. Dust and small rocks flew in the air from the impact blocking the saiyan from view. The brown haired man was laying face down with bits of jasper covering his body. Vegeta pushed his face out of his uncomfortable bed with a groan, and with a bit more effort, he was able to get on his hands and knees for a few seconds.

Blood was running down his face from a jagged cut on his forehead. The former prince blinked a couple of times to try and get the crimson liquid out of his eyes. His vision swam as he looked at the reddish rock under his hands. There was more blood running from a corner of his mouth that came from a cut on his tongue. He bit the muscle due to a punch in the face. 

Vegeta's left arm struggled under his own body weight thanks to a dislocated shoulder, and his right ankle felt broken. The dominant's breathing came out in wheezing gasps that clued him to some possible broken ribs, and his chest flared up in pain when he tried to breathe deeply. He hadn't felt this beat up since he fought Buu.

A foot came crashing down on his back forcing Vegeta back into the crater. Bardock had his arms folded over his chest with one leg bent at the knee while his other foot remain on the younger saiyan's back. The full force of his body weight was keeping his opponent pinned in the rubble, and Bardock looked down with a glare as Vegeta struggled to get back up.

It was bad enough that Kakarot had outmatched him for years, now his father was doing the same! He was the Prince of all Saiyans! He was supposed to be the strongest alpha of his race! He couldn't let this continue! He had to show everyone that he was the strongest, and he had to earn Kakarot's forgiveness!!

“Stay down, cub.” Bardock hissed at Vegeta with a tone of contempt. “You're lucky I'm not going to kill you.” He pressed down harder one last time before he hopped up to the edge of the shallow crater. Vegeta had now formed a hole in the shape of his body within the rubble, and he was twitching as he forced his head back into the air.One green eye glared at the older man and at the lack of injuries the other had. 

Seeing how much trouble Vegeta was having, the taller warrior reached down and grabbed a handful of blond hair. With little effort, Bardock pulled the former prince out of the rock. Once he was eye level, the sadistic man let go. Vegeta grunted as he landed on his back, but he couldn't move his body to retaliate at the rough treatment.

An unexpected soft sound drew Bardock's attention away from the downed saiyan. His teal eyes roamed around the sky, but he couldn't find the source of the noise. Thinking it was just his imagination, he moved to crouch over his prey to finish taking out his anger on the surprisingly durable punching bag.

Something slammed into his side, and Bardock skidded over the stone until he came to a stop about six feet from the broken doorway. The dominant shook the cobwebs the hit gave him, but they were gone quickly. He looked up with a snarl at the interruption, but what he saw nearly made him face fault.

A boy about the age of his grandson stood protectively over Vegeta. He was also a Super Saiyan, and he gave a fearsome snarl for his age. Bardock narrowed his eyes as he studied the cub’s features, and realized that he looked like Vegeta. The familiar sound of his eldest son crashed that train of thought.

“You little brat! I told you not to go charging off like that!” A ruffled Raditz and another blond saiyan landed on the balcony. “You could've gotten yourself killed if Father wasn't taking a break!” The agitated alpha stomped up to the boy and lifted him up by the back of his shirt to shake him a bit.

A choked sound came from behind him, and Bardock looked over his shoulder. Kakarot was staring at the blond saiyan with tears in his eyes. He held a hand over his mouth, but he didn't look scared. In fact…the beta looked happy beyond belief. He took a few steps out of the room drawing attention to himself.

“Gohan!” The submissive called out with a large smile on his face and open arms. Goten was quick to come around to stand with his father, and the cub laughed in happiness at the sight of his older brother.

“Father? Goten?” The names were quietly questioned. The teen looked up with wide eyes, and a grin spread on his face. He rushed to his family with tears in his eyes, and stumbled a bit as soon as his father wrapped him up in his arms. Gohan's hair faded back to black as he buried his face in Goku's neck.

Bardock looked around at the crying family behind him, and the crater where the cub was trying to get out of Raditz's grip to the saiyan below. He covered his face with a hand, and pulled it down with an exasperated groan. The alpha, seeing as there was going to be no more fighting at the moment, powered down and stood up.

“Hey! Let's finish this family reunion in the morning! Kakarot needs his rest!” Bardock paused on his way in and looked back over his shoulder. “And will someone take that to the healing tanks?!” He shouted as he jerked a thumb over in Vegeta's direction.


	14. Chapter 14

~The Next Morning~

Goku was absolutely thrilled to have his oldest son back with him. He ran a hand through the black spiky locks of Gohan as the beta's two sons lay curled up together on a large couch in Bardock's room. Both were awake, but they were basking in the presence of each other under the watchful eye of their father.

A grumbling from across the room signaled to the three in the sitting room that Bardock was awake. The older man walked out with only a pair of loose fitting black pants on him as he let out a jaw popping yawn. Bardock made his way to a free couch across from the one the others were on, and he flopped down with a groan.

Gohan watched the mirror copy of his father before looking up at Goku with a confused expression. The teen really didn't pay attention to any of the other saiyans as soon as he saw his father, and now he was somewhat regretting that fact.

Goten giggled at the antics of his grandfather and wiggled out of the hold his brother had on him to pounce of the dominant. He landed on the broad back with a bounce, and Bardock grunted at the slight weight of the boy. The demi-saiyan let out another laugh as he gently tugged on two black spikes.

Gohan started at the growl that came from the half naked saiyan, and he was about to rush to get his brother. Goku put a hand on his shoulder before he could move from his position. Black, wide eyes looked at the unconcerned submissive in shock as he chuckled when he saw Goten tug a bit harder on the hair in his hands.

“Father isn't a morning person, but he won't do anything to your brother.” Goku glanced at the teen with a reassuring look before he looked back. A tail was slowly creeping up behind the cub as he bounced on Bardock's back. The submissive leaned over to whisper, “Besides, he enjoys when Goten pounces on him like that. Although, he'll never admit it.” A squeal of laughter drew Gohan's gaze to the other pair.

Bardock's tail had snagged Goten by one of his ankles and had him hanging upside down. The alpha had turned his head just so his left eye was on the boy. Goten laughed harder as the furry appendage tickled the bare sole of one foot making it difficult to get free from the strong hold of the older saiyan's tail.

He rolled over in his back after a few minutes of tickling his grandson, and Bardock brought his hands into play. He attacked the vulnerable sides of the cub making more giggles erupt from his throat. Goten's hands and tail were trying to fend off the larger ones attacking him, but he wasn't making much progress.

Gohan looked back over at the beta when he chuckled again at the scene. His dark eyes had a warm glow, and all the tension lines in his face always had back on Earth had melted away. The teen had never seen his father look as relaxed as he was at this moment, and a twinge of guilt reared up in Gohan's heart.

The door opening broke the demi-saiyan out of his thoughts. Raditz came in the room dressed in skin tight shorts and tank top. He rubbed at a large bruise that had formed on his right shoulder and disappeared under the black fabric. There were a few smaller ones that dotted along bare arms and legs.

Raditz groaned as he sat down on a chair by Bardock and Goten without saying a word to his family after the long night. Seeing his oldest leaned his head back on the backrest, the older alpha whispered into the cub’s ear with a smirk. Goten giggled with a nod, and he crouched down on his grandfather's legs.

“Offff!” The air was knocked out of his lungs when the small body pounced on his uncle. The cub scampered away before he could be grabbed by Raditz. Bardock caught Goten, but the long haired saiyan followed. He knocked the two in the floor, and the three began to do some light wrestling around.

“Gohan, I missed you so much.” Goku whispered in a shaky voice as he tugged on the teen’s shoulder. Gohan sat up and was wrapped in a tight hug. “I hated to leave you behind like I did so many times. I don't know how you could ever forgive me for everything that happened in the past. You even left your mother to come after me.”

“Don't call that woman my mother!” Gohan hissed with a surprising amount of anger in his normally gentle voice. His tail fluffed up beside his leg, and his fangs were bared at the thought of the human woman. “She doesn't deserve to be called that after what she did to Goten and you! She is an awful person!”

Goku felt his blood turn into ice at the teen’s words. His arms tightened around Gohan's shoulders, and one of his hands clenched the loose fabric of the teen's purple shirt. He took a few deep breaths to keep his panic from showing to the rest of his overprotective family. The beta pulled back to look at Gohan who huffed and crossed his arms.

“She admitted to abusing Goten for years, and she kept calling you worthless! He is her son! After all you've sacrificed to keep us safe, and she calls you that?! All because you're not human?! She should have known that fighting was who you are! How dare she?!” The demi-saiyan continued to rant under his breath, but Goku tuned it out.

The relief of knowing that Gohan didn't know the full extent to Chi-Chi’s cruelty was a burden off his shoulders. Goku knew he shouldn't be ashamed of what happened, but it would break his heart if either of his sons found out about that night. He wanted to put that in the past and move on from the memories.

“Gohan, it's alright.” The submissive interrupted his eldest. “We'll never see her again, and it's not healthy to hold onto the past. Goten is healing and I've never been happier. Just let it all go, okay? This is a new start for all of us among people that fully understand us. That's why I wished for this.” He gave a bright smile to Gohan, hoping that his intelligent son wouldn't notice the slight tremor in his voice when he spoke of his former wife.

The teen frowned at his father's words. They seemed a bit rushed, and it felt like the beta was trying to change the subject. Red flags flashed in his mind as he looked over Goku's slightly pale face. Gohan wondered if there was more than the abuse Goten suffers at the hands of that woman, but what could she have possibly done to her husband?

Once again the opening of the door prevented the oldest half blood from following that train of thought. Gohan was tempted to blast whoever it was that distracted him, but he froze when the person fully entered the room. It was like he got hit in the chest by one of his father's punches.

A slender male walked up to where Goku sat on the couch with an uncertain expression on his face. Gohan greedily took in the compact body that saiyan armor and the skin tight body suit showed off. Sable hair with one loose spike dangling down over some of the delicate facial features made the teen's fingers twitch. Sharp teeth nibbled on a plump lower lip, and dark eyes framed by long lashes made any coherent thinking impossible for Gohan.

Gohan was shocked at the desire that rushed through his blood. Something deep within him urged the demi-saiyan to reach out and touch the newcomer, but he remained frozen in his seat. He could easily see himself shoving this smaller saiyan down on a bed and completely dominating him in every way.

“Tarble? What brings you here this early?” The submissive asked his friend with a warm smile on his face, but it faded as he looked at the other's face more closely. The younger prince looked very worried and nervous as he twisted his fingers around each other. Concern lit up on Goku's face.“Is everything alright?” 

“Umm…” Tarble cleared his throat, and the noise brought everyone's attention to the younger beta. “I-I thought I should let you know that…V-Vegeta is awake.” He took a deep breath to steel himself as he finally looked up from the floor to meet the taller submissive's eyes. “He wants to see you, Kakarot.”

The room was so quiet that a pin could be heard dropping even if one didn't have sensitive hearing. Tarble could feel the stares of five sets of eyes on his body, and he fidgeted under the sharp gazes, especially the one that came from Bardock. The smaller saiyan was tempted to run out of the room before anyone could ask questions.

Goku swallowed harshly at the news, and he broke out in a cold sweat. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest at the thought of being in the same room as Vegeta, and he brought his arms around his belly. The beta felt fear and anxiety over the news, but it wasn't as bad as last night.

“Vegeta…wants to see me?” Goku asked in a surprisingly calm voice. Bardock was instantly behind him holding his shoulders in support. Tarble nodded his head in response, and the pregnant submissive took a deep breath after a few minutes. “Did he say why he wanted to see me?”

“You can't be serious? Are you really thinking about going?” Raditz asked his younger brother with an incredulous look on his face. He was currently holding Goten in his arms as he moved off the floor to sit back in the chair he was in before the unexpected wrestling match. He frowned when he didn't get an answer from Kakarot and sat back with a huff.

“He didn't say, Kakarot…but he looked very tired…and miserable,” Tarble added when no one spoke. The youngest pure blood looked off to a random spot on the wall. The look he saw on Vegeta's face troubled Tarble, and he wanted to find a way to get rid of it. 

“Vegeta's sorry, Dad.” Gohan finally snapped out of his trance. He looked into the disbelieving eyes of his sire as he elaborated. “The whole time we traveled to get here, he was trying to find a way to apologize to you. For the first week, he wouldn't sleep and he hardly ate anything. I had to almost drug him so he would sleep.”

Goku looked down at his hands which rested on the swell of his abdomen. As much as he wanted to deny it, there was still a part of him that wanted to be with Vegeta. He wondered why the former prince acted like he did last night before Bardock used him as a punching bag. It was completely different from their last encounter which still made the submissive afraid to be in the same building as the temperamental alpha.

“Humph. Vegeta? Sorry?” Raditz sneered from his seat at his eldest nephew. “He wouldn't know regret or guilt if they bit him on the tail. I worked and lived with him for years, and I highly doubt he changed to much from the spoiled princeling he was during our time purging planets.” Tarble and Gohan glared at the long haired saiyan, but he just waved off the angered looks.

“It's the truth, and you two know it. Never in my life did Vegeta apologized for anything, and I don't expect to see him start now.” Raditz looked back over at Goku with a serious look. “Kakarot, if you do go see him, just remember that Vegeta is cold, ruthless, prideful, cruel, and a down right bastard.”

“Don't say things like that about my brother!” Tarble shouted to the seated alpha with a surprising amount of ferocity. He snarled at Raditz as he turned to fully face the other with his hands clenched at his sides. “Yeah, his does have his flaws, bit you make it seem like Vegeta's heartless!”

“He is heartless, Tarble! He doesn't care about anything but himself! The only reason Vegeta's here is to get his title back and makes sure no one touches what he think belongs to him!” The large dominant growled at the beta. “His pride is the only thing that matters to him! Once he gets his title back and the cub's born, Vegeta will drop Kakarot like a hot rock!”

“How do you know he'd do that?! Have you lived and fought alongside side my brother in the past ten years?! I think not!” Tarble placed his hands on his hips as he glared at Raditz. “How do you know he hasn't changed?! You did from what I was told! If a blockhead like you could, my brother is sure to have changed!”

“Enough! If you're going to act like cubs, take it somewhere else!” Bardock shouted when the long haired man opened his mouth to argue with the younger beta. “This is Kakarot's decision. If he wants to go, he can. if he doesn't, he doesn't have too. Either way, Vegeta isn't going to come near him without me nearby. I still have things I wish to discuss with him.” 

The beta looked up at his father with wide eyes. Goku thought Bardock would be against going to see the former prince. The older dominant just smirked as he ruffled thick, black spikes on his youngest son's head. A warm look came over his face as he saw the disbelief in the submissive's eyes.

“I'll support whatever decision you make, Kakarot.” The soft look in Bardock's eyes sharpened with his grin. “Like I said, I still have things I need to talk about with Vegeta. He needs to know he'll have to deal with me if he tries to pull another stunt like he did last night. I'm still mad that he managed to sneak in your room like that.”

Gohan lifted an eyebrow at that last statement, but he shook his head, not wanting to know the answer. Knowing Vegeta like he did, the former prince did something idiotic that bit him in the ass. He knew he shouldn't have let the alpha go off like he did, but he thought Vegeta would approach his father like a normal person.

Looks like Vegeta was going to need some help. 

“Dad…While I still haven't forgiven him for what he did to you, Vegeta really cares about you. It just took him awhile to figure it out. I think you should give him a chance, but only if that is what you truly want.” Gohan whispered as quietly as he could into Goku's ear, and the teen felt like he had said his piece on the subject.

Goku frowned as he thought about it. The Vegeta he saw last night before his panic took over wasn't like the one he saw back on Earth. The gentleness the alpha showed him had felt wonderful when the submissive got in that half awake state. He shuddered as the memory of that day by the lake flashed in his head, but last night…. 

The rage wasn't there, instead he saw relief and…something else. It was just a split second that he caught the second emotion in obsidian eyes, but whatever it was was warm. His heart had sung when he saw that warmth, and even now, it craved to experience that feeling again. Goku, however, was still unsure on how to proceed.

Then Tarble’s earlier words came into his head.

Why was Vegeta miserable? Why was the alpha gentle with Goku? Did he truly care about the beta? What was going on in that head of his?

All of these thoughts ran around in Goku's head with no answers in sight. He scratched at the scar on the back of his head absentmindedly. The submissive didn't even realize that the room had gone dead silent while the others waited for him to make a decision. Finally, Goku lifted his head to meet Tarble's eyes.

“Take me to him, Tarble.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to serradragon! I couldn't have done this without you!

Vegeta shook his head to try and get rid of the fuzzy feeling in his head from spending the night in a healing tank. He always hated the weird hangover that came with being submerged in synthetic saiyan DNA, but it was better than suffering for weeks while his injuries healed the old fashioned way.

The alpha had been lead to his former chambers from when he was a child, and Trunks, who refused to be separated from him, was currently exploring the rooms. They weren't any different from Kakarot's rooms except for the color scheme. Instead of grays and blues, Vegeta's rooms were dressed in black and crimson. In spite of the circumstances, Vegeta couldn’t deny he was proud of his son. Seeing the boy in his ancestral home was soothing.

The former prince tugged at the gloves on his wrists, as he took in his appearance in a full-length mirror on one of the walls of his bedchambers. Tarble had messaged him, letting him know that Kakarot was coming to see him, and he was a nervous wreck. Vegeta almost had a mini panic attack as he scrambled for his closet.

Most of the clothes in his closet were extremely ornate and extravagant. Nothing looked suitable enough for his hopeful meeting with Kakarot, and he wanted his mate to know that he wasn't here for any else other than the submissive.

Vegeta had picked out the simplest thing he currently owned that wasn't in shreds thanks to Bardock. A full black body suit covered his muscular frame with black ankle boots and charcoal gray gloves. Armor like the one he wore when the dominant traveled to Namek was covering his chest, but the shoulder guards and sternum part were crimson while the rest was black.

His chestnut tail kept wrapping and unwrapping around his waist in his anxiety. The alpha eventually forced himself away from the mirror to pace in his sitting room. His eyes remained on the floor as a scowl grew on his face.

Last night obviously did not go how he wanted. 

The dominant knew he probably should have gone about trying to talk to the younger saiyan in a different way, but he was so impatient to see Kakarot that he just didn't think his actions through. He didn't expect the submissive to be as afraid of him like he was, and the former prince was a bit unsure how to correct that. The sheer idea that Kakarot was afraid of him was hard to accept. In all their fights Kakarot was never actually afraid of him, of what he would do to his friends, family and planet but not himself. Frieza, Cell, Buu, not even they were able to make the beta react in fear.

Vegeta actually felt hurt at the distrust that was directed at him from his own mate, but he didn't blame the beta. He never did or said anything that would make Kakarot think that he wouldn't do something horrible to him after the alpha caught up to him, and now…he regretted every negative thing that he had ever done.

Kakarot never deserved any of his anger, and he just now realized just how bad he had damaged the gentle saiyan. Vegeta hung his head in shame as he took a seat on a black leather chair. His hands covered his face as he let out a deep sigh, and his tail hung limply over one of the armrests.

He didn't deserve to be Kakarot's mate, but he was too selfish to give him up if he could.

The beta was this wonderful person that could see the best in everyone and everything. Kakarot had always believed in the best that the dominant couldn't see in himself. He was strong, beautiful, kind, and everything Vegeta hoped for in a mate, and what does the former prince do?

He sneers at the kind nature of the younger warrior. He hated that Kakarot is more powerful than him. He only has harsh words for the other, and he never wanted to spend time with the only other full blooded saiyan in existence at the time.

At the moment, Vegeta loathed himself. He was an utter fool.

Small, dull taps of booted feet drew the alpha’s tired gaze from the carpeted floor. Black eyes looked unseeingly at the tiny form in front of him, and he could feel the negative emotions building once his vision finally cleared. The sad face of his son looked at Vegeta with big, watery, and concerned eyes.

Trunks looked like a proper prince from the House of Vegeta. The cub was in white and yellow armor with the insignia of his family over his heart, not unlike what he wore as a cub himself. His body suit was royal blue that covered his legs but left his arms bare. White gloved and boots finished the look, and Trunks' lavender tail was waving loose behind him.

Vegeta gave his son a small, weak smile. The alpha couldn't think of anything to say to the boy that would be sufficient enough to calm him from his worry for Vegeta or his guilt for treating Goten like he did on Earth. Trunks matched the smile, and he hesitantly crawled in his father's lap. The two of them made quite the pair. He only hoped his actions hadn’t ruined any chance his son had at reconciling with Kakarot’s cub. The soft downy fur on Trunk’s tail rubbed against Vegeta as the tail wound around his arm and chestnut tail repeatedly, both offering comfort and seeking it at the same time.

A knock sounded on the main door, and Vegeta felt his spine and tail stiffen. The father and son looked at the door like a couple of deer in the headlights. It wasn't until the knocking rang out in the room again that the two snapped out of the frozen state they fell in. Trunks slid off the former prince’s lap as the man stood up.

“Come in.” Vegeta called out after he swallowed. His tail twisted around any limb it could reach before unraveling to wrap around something else. The alpha's eyes never moved from the door as a long pause made him even more nervous. Questions came to his mind the longer the door remained closed.

What if Kakarot wasn't on the other side? What if he didn't want anything to do with Vegeta? If he was there, was the beta going to give him a chance? Did he hate Vegeta? Would Kakarot ever forgive him for what he's done? Was there any hope for the two of them to have a peaceful life together with all of their sons and new born cub on the way?

Tarble opened the door and came in first, and Vegeta felt like his heart was in his throat. His eyes looked pleadingly at the smaller saiyan, but his mouth couldn't ask the question he wanted to know. The dominant's younger brother gave him an encouraging look as the door opened wider, and the former prince nearly fell to his knees.

Bardock had accompanied his son, but Vegeta only had eyes for Kakarot. The beta was in a navy gi pants with a light gray kimono top and his normal blue boots. His black tail was nervously twitching beside him, and the tall submissive stuck close to his father. Kakarot's arms were resting above his belly, and his hands were gripping the sleeves of his shirt. 

Vegeta would deny it to the end of his days but he preferred Kakarot in the earth styled garb, it suited him in a way the armor of their race never had the handful of times the beta consented to wearing it.

Kakarot had yet to look at Vegeta, and the former prince was doing everything he could to resist the urge to walk up to his mate. He looked so uncomfortable, and the dominant's instincts were demanding him to go over to comfort Kakarot. It was just wrong that the younger saiyan wasn’t happy. Thinking that he could at least try to follow his heart, Vegeta cleared his throat.

“Kakarot…” Vegeta started as he took a step towards the submissive with a hand outstretched to touch him. “I…I’m s-sor…” He couldn't say it, and that made Bardock crossed his arms with a sneer and a growl towards the younger alpha. Trunks ducked down behind his father at the feral sound.

Kakarot tightened his hold on his father's arm to quiet him and to keep him from scaring the cub in the room. His gaze remained on the floor, but a frown grew on his normally smiling face. Anger started to rise within him, and he was glade he forced his boys to stay in Bardock's room. He really didn't want to expose what he was going to say to his sons, and he hated that Trunks was going to hear some of this.

“Don't, Vegeta. Just…don't.” The words were unexpectedly harsh, and they made the alpha freeze in his tracks. A hurt look flashed across his face, but it was quickly hidden before anyone saw it. “I don't want to hear you say anything right now.” When Kakarot's spiky head finally lifted from the floor, a glare reserved for his enemies was directed at Vegeta.

“You abandoned me, Vegeta.” The quiet words froze the alpha's blood. “I was ready to fully submit to you as my better, my prince, my alpha, my protector, my mate. I was going to acknowledge you as the strongest. I thought you had finally accepted me as something other than that low class clown…I guess I was wrong….”

“No, Kakarot, I-“ Vegeta took another few steps towards the submissive feeling even worse than he did when Turles came to Earth. Unfortunately, the gesture didn't calm the other down. Kakarot's eyes burned as he finally snapped at the former prince. The lavender haired boy shrank further behind Vegeta's legs at the enraged look in the beta's eyes.

“Shut up, Vegeta! I told you I don't want to hear it! Ever since the first day we met, you just couldn't let go of the fact that another was stronger than the Prince of all Saiyans! I knew it was a shock to you, but you could never let go of it, could you?! Do you know what I went through to get as strong as I did?!” Kakarot releases his father to take a step forward with his elongated canine teeth showing.

“Never in my life did I ever feel safe, Vegeta, and I didn't know why! I pushed myself so hard to get stronger just so I could protect myself from any threat that was out there, but I never felt like it was enough. And then others saw how strong I was, and they either wanted to destroy me or have me to protect them!

“I was on edge my entire life, constantly looking over my shoulder just waiting for an enemy to try and take my life or the lives of my friends! Once Gohan was born, those urges got so strong that I thought I would never be able to let my guard down! The worst part was that I didn't understand why I was the only one I knew that felt this way! Krillin, Roshi, Yamcha, they all just stopped trying to get stronger and it was just me that trained like we used to. No one was willing to help me even knowing Piccolo was getting stronger to try taking over the world again.” Now the black tail was puffed up, and the submissive started to pace with his rant.

“Then my brother showed up… After he explained what I was, I was still confused! In the beginning I hoped it was something saiyans shared, something that was in our blood but Raditz obviously didn't share my affliction. I thought I was a freak from two different races! The entire time I trained for our first meeting all I could wonder was if I was going to feel like this for the rest of my life and if I would ever find peace?!

“Then I met you, the Prince of what was left of our people, and I felt something… I could feel your strength come off your body in waves when we fought the first time, and I thought that you might be able to help me. I felt a connection with you, and I wanted to meet you again so I had Krillin spare your life in hopes I could finally get some answers.” He glared at Vegeta.

“Imagine my disappointment when all you wanted to do was get stronger than me so you could end my life. Even your death at the hands of the tyrant that had enslaved you for all your life didn't change your thoughts about me! How could I relax around you when I knew you just wanted to kill me?! I needed to make sure I could defend myself from you if you ever caught up to me in strength, but I still had this crazy hope that you could protect me from others!

“Vegeta, my own wife was a threat to me, and I was terrified to stay in my own home!” Tarble moved quickly to stand behind Trunks and covered his ears. The boy didn't need to know what was about to be said, and Kakarot felt a small bit of gratitude towards the other beta.

Trunks was looking at the normally smiling and happy submissive in shock and a small amount of fear, but he somehow knew that he wasn't in any danger from the tall beta. He had gotten yelled at before by Goku during one of the fights with Buu, but this was so much worse. He felt sorry for his father that was dealing with the brunt of the shouting.

“She drugged me several times! She took advantage of me! She even let others take advantage of me, and she was selling my DNA to people for I don't know what! The night before our fight with Cell proved to me that I wasn't ever going to be safe on Earth, so I chose to remain dead! I didn’t want to leave Gohan alone but I knew he would be alright, that Piccolo would watch over him.

“I was going to come back during that one day to say a final goodbye to everyone, including you…Then Buu happened, and I couldn’t leave my sons and friends without protection! That monster…he was just picking them off one by one with no obstacles to stand in his way, and I knew I had to come back! You have no idea what I sacrificed to return to the land of the living during that fight… 

“When we fused, I thought things would finally be different. I knew I'd be safe as long as we remained together, but then we separated. I-I still thought you would see what I was going through when we shared our experiences in that space within Vegito, that you would understand and help me… I thought you would offer me protection so I could finally relax, but…

“That day at the lake, Vegeta…I was so happy when you marked me. It felt like fate that we as the last two full blooded saiyans on Earth would come together like that, and I was looking forward to our new lives with each other. I thought you were going to…to…love me like I had fallen for you. 

“Then, you…you lashed out at me like I had seduced you. How could you think I would try humiliating you by having sex with me? You knew everything about me Vegeta, everything! You marked me, then you rejected and abandoned me on that lakeshore embedded in a rock wall. You threatened to end my life if I ever came near you again, and I felt my heart break.” He looked off to the side for a moment.

Bardock reached out to place a hand on his son’s shoulder to offer some comfort, but Kakarot brushed it off. He wasn't done yelling at the younger dominant. He wanted the other to be fully aware of what he had done, and Kakarot was going to make sure that happened.

“I hope you're happy, Vegeta. Never once in my life have I ever run away from a threat, but you changed that! Now you show up just when I'm finally starting to truly heal under the safety of my father and brother. I honestly thought you were going to kill me and the cub when you came to my room last night! I almost lost him when I came to this planet!”

Tears were now streaming down Kakarot's face as he shouted at the dominant in front of him. His hands and tail had moved to cover his lower abdomen and the life that rested within it. The fear from that day came back as flashes of that one alpha holding a hand over his unborn child came out of his memory.

“You expect me to give you another chance like I did back on Earth?! Why should I?! Huh?! I’ve already given you more second chances than anyone else. And you can't give a me reason to give you another one, can you?! You might have marked me as your beta, but I haven't claimed you as my alpha! I should just leave you here and find someone else that I know will protect and love me!”

Kakarot glared through the tears as his father wrapped an arm around his shoulders. The anger that had exploded from him sapped the energy he had when he came in the room. A large weight had been lifted off his shoulders during his rant, but Goku didn't feel any better at having it removed.

Vegeta stared at the hurt beta in shock and hurt before he did something so unexpected that everyone in the room stared at him in disbelief. The shorter dominant slowly walked until he was just a few paces in front of the crying submissive, and he took a deep breath after looking in the dark, expressive orbs of his mate.

The proud alpha knelt on both of his knees. He then moved so that his forehead was pressed to the floor with his hands on either side of his head. The tips of his black flame like hair were just inches from the tips of Kakarot's boots. Everything in Vegeta's posture screamed submission, and the rest of the room just stood there in silence.

“You're right, Kakarot. You are right about everything. I'm a horrible person that doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as you, but I'm too selfish to give anything that is related to you up.” The former prince’s voice was slightly muffled, but his words were clear. He took another deep breath and swallowed the rest of his pride happily to express what he was feeling.

“I am truly sorry for everything that I have done to you.” A pin drop could be heard in the room, and every saiyan was in disbelief as Vegeta continued. “I have been asking myself ever since I realized what I had done…how could I have done all of that to you? How could I treat the one person that cared for me like trash?

“I know you might not ever forgive me, I know I wouldn't if I were in your shoes, but…I'm asking…” The dominant lifted his head to look into his mates wide eyes. The submissive was trembling from where he stood as a hand covered his mouth.

“Please, Kakarot. Please give me a chance?” His eyes burned with tears that he was holding back however, he never looked away from Kakarot's eyes. “I was an idiot for not listening to my instincts and ignoring the memories I gained from you during our fusion, but that doesn't excuse my actions. Nothing excuses my actions, and I'm not going to insult by trying to find one.”

Vegeta looked uncomfortable with what he was saying in front of people other than his mate, but he knew it needed to be said. The alpha's chestnut tail was twisting around itself behind him in his discomfort as he lifted to settle on his knees with his hands fisted on his lap.

“You probably won't believe me, but you are everything to me. You always have been. I could never bring myself to do you any lasting harm, and I could never, ever, end your life. I never wanted you to know that, because of some stupid habits left over from being under Frieza's control.” He gave a self deprecating smile as his eyes flickered to the floor before returning to Kakarot's.

“Kakarot, you are everything I'm not. You are my other half, and I want you in my life. No, not just want, I need you, and I will do everything in my power to prove that to you. So, please… Please, give this unworthy man a chance to do what I should've done the first day I met you,” Vegeta begged as he once again touched his forehead to the floor as he awaited his mate's decision.

Bardock and Tarble looked at the taller submissive to see what he could be thinking, but his eyes stayed on the dominant knelt before him. Neither one could believe that Vegeta would beg or kneel in front of someone, but here he is, exceeding expectations. Bardock couldn't help but admire the determination the former prince was showing.

Goku felt his energy slowly drain away as he stared at the huddled form on the floor. He was slightly irritated that Vegeta would go this far just to ask for a chance, and he could feel his resolve to never deal with the alpha again waning under the heartfelt words that had been spoken. Despite being extremely mad at the other, something in his chest softened.

“I…” The beta was still trembling from letting out all the repressed feelings he had surrounding this man, but he tried to ignore it. The rest of his energy suddenly vanished, and his vision blurred. Kakarot gasped a bit as he swayed on his feet, drawing the attention of two alphas, one beta, and a cub.

“Kakarot?” Bardock looked at his youngest in concern the longer he remained silent. He bent his form so he could look at the submissive's face as he tightened his hold on the other's shoulders. “Are you alright, son?” He asked when he saw how pale his carbon copy had gotten after he finished yelling. The beta's eyes rolled back in his head, and he started to fall. 

“Kakarot!” Vegeta shouted as he and Bardock sprung into action to catch him before he hit the ground. Both dominants frantically moved their eyes and hands over Kakarot as Tarble moved to call the medical bay. Trunks remained close to his father as he helped the older alpha settle the submissive into a more comfortable position.

“Kakarot! Kakarot!” Vegeta called in desperation as he tried to wake his mate. He ran a gloved hand over the the other's face out of worry when he got no response. The former prince could feel his heart hammering in his chest at the thought of something being wrong with Kakarot, and he felt helpless.

While the group waited for the medics to arrive, none of them noticed a shadow move away from the door that had been accidentally left open.


	16. Chapter 16

It was late when Goten climbed so he could look at the pale form on the bed with in worry and fear. He crawled on the large mattress to sit beside Goku's shoulder, and he reached out with one of his hands to touch the space over the beta's heart to make sure he was still alive. Feeling the strong muscle beat under his fingertips brought some comfort to the cub, but not much.

His father was still unconscious from the day before, and it was making everyone anxious. The doctors said it was due to a massive amount of stress, but he should be fine as soon as he wakes up. Unfortunately, the submissive continued to sleep, and even the doctors were watching him with poorly hidden concern.

The cub shifted a bit closer to Kakarot, and moved his hand to check on his younger sibling. Thankfully, everything looked to be alright with the baby. Goten smiled when he felt the tiny form move a bit inside his father, and he gave a gentle pat to the beta's belly. 

A grumbling snore brought the boy’s attention to the other figures in the room. Wide eyes were quick to look around the room with surprise written all over him. Bardock, Raditz, and Gohan were all asleep in various chairs in the room. The only reason Goten was up at this time of night was because he was so worried for his dad that he couldn't sleep.

Bardock had insisted that Kakarot was to be placed in the beta's rooms that had just been repaired from the fight between Bardock and Vegeta, and no one argued. None of Kakarot's family members had left his side as he slept, but they were not the only saiyans to keep a close watch over the vulnerable man.

Tarble, Vegeta, and Trunks were camped out in the sitting room on large sofas. All three of them had been quick to follow Bardock in alarm after the alpha had scooped up his son after the medics confirmed that it was safe to move Kakarot.

Vegeta was so afraid for his mate when he collapsed. The younger dominant was snapping at Raditz as soon as they saw each other. He had to almost fight with the long haired alpha to get to just stay, but in the end, Bardock allowed the former prince to remain as long as he didn't cause trouble.

Goten laid down next to his father, and tucked his head under the submissive's chin. The cub fisted a tiny hand over the massive chest so he could feel the continuous beating of Goku's heart. His eyes burned as tears threatened to slip free, and he bit his lip to muffle any noises that he might make.

“Daddy, you need to wake up,” The demi-saiyan whispered in the prone beta's ear. “Please be okay. I miss you.” Goten buried his face in the loose light blue shirt that Goku had been changed in sometime by Bardock. The soft fabric soon became damp with the boy’s tears as he shook like a leaf. Muffled sobbing was soon heard in the dark room.

Trunks mumbled sleepily as he rubbed an eye. The lavender haired boy slowly padded back to his couch from Goten's room after a midnight bathroom break, but a sound soon had him pausing. He blearily looked around for the source before his blue eyes landed on the cracked door leading to Goku's bedroom.

A little more awake, the cub looked hesitant at the door unsure of what to do. Trunks looked at his father and uncle, but both were still sleeping with worn out looks on their faces. The boy's tail flicked around behind him as he looked back at the door. He decided to check things out before waking anyone up.

Trunks quietly walked over to the door, and peered into the room, but nothing seemed out of place. The beta was still sleeping as were the alphas in the room, but he could still hear that muffled noise. Finally, his eyes spot a quivering form on the bed next to the Kakarot. He pushed the door wider to get a better look.

Goten was huddled as close as he could be to his father as he softly cried his eyes out. His small hands were holding tightly to the submissive's shirt, and his black, quivering tail was curled behind him around his body. The black haired boy didn't noticed Trunks looking at him from the slightly open doorway.

Trunks bit his lip as he watched the younger cub feeling a bit torn. However, the longer he stood there listening to the other's crying, the lavender haired boy felt worse about leaving Goten alone. He took a deep breath, and stepped further in the room. He stopped halfway between the bed and the door so the other could have some space if he didn’t want to see Trunks.

“Goten?” The quite voice made the black haired cub bolt upright. The tear trails shined in the low light that came from the glass door, and Goten's eyes were wide and red. Trunks bit back a wince at startling his friend like that, but he continued on regardless. “Are…are you alright?”

Once the shock of seeing Trunks wore off, he relaxed just a small amount before tensing again. The younger boy sniffed as he looked away from the other with a mixture of hurt and grief in his eyes. He shrank a bit closer to Goku and bit his lip. After a few seconds of silence, Goten hesitantly shook his head at the question as more tears slipped down his cheeks. 

He clenched his hands into fists as he looked down at his lap after he shifted to sit on his knees. Goten trembled under the sharp stare of Vegeta's son, and his tail looped around his waist. The silky fur was puffed up a bit, and the tip was twitching. The cub wanted his father to wake up even more when he noticed that the boy that hurt him wasn't leaving.

Trunks felt guilt build in him as he watched Goten’s reactions. He was skittish and uneasy in the older boy’s presence. At least the other cub didn't look like he was afraid of him like Goku was with his father, and Trunks was thankful for that. He shifted on his feet as he thought of what he could do to make Goten feel better.

The lavender haired boy softly walked up to the bed, and Trunks climbed on the almost overly plushy mattress. He crawled over to the other cub ignoring the flinch that came from Goten, but he did stop about two feet away when the black haired boy shifted to put more space between them. 

The two sat in silence with one demi-saiyan watch the other while the younger was looking at his lap. The atmosphere became heavy the longer nothing was said, and it was making the two cubs fidgety. 

Goten couldn't bring himself to look at the older boy. His felt tremors in his fingers as he tightened his fists. The younger of the two had mixed feelings about seeing Trunks in the same room. He was happy that the other was concerned about him, sad that he hurt him, and nervous that he would get more cruel words.

Trunks bit his lip out of slight frustration when Goten refused to lift his head up, and he chewed on the piece of flesh as he thought of what he could say to the other. After chasing a few trains of thought around in his head, the lavender haired boy finally decided to just speak from the heart.

The two were so preoccupied that they didn't notice black eyes watching the two of them.

“I'm sorry, Goten. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I was so jealous that you had gotten your tail back. I guess I've always been the one that got things first like transforming into Super Saiyan and flying. I should've been happy for you instead of yelling at you.” Trunks looked out the window as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Dad told me that tails only grow back when something makes a saiyan feel strong emotions like fear, sadness, anger, or they experience a power boost. You had told me about your mom, but I didn't think that was the cause of your tail coming back. I should have been a better friend to you.” 

“What about when I told you that I liked you? Why were you mean then?” A sniff came from the black haired cub as he finally looked up at Trunks. He felt a bit better, but he still hurt. Goten rubbed his eyes to dry his tears as he waited for Trunks’ answer.

The lavender haired demi-saiyan's cheeks flushed a bright pink, and he gulped as his eyes turned to the bedspread. His small frame shifted in his discomfort, and his tail fluffed up in his embarrassment. He had hoped that Goten wouldn't bring that back up, but he should have known better.

“Uh…I-I'm s-sorry for that too. Dad came home mad that night growling something about two boys being together like that. I thought it was wrong, and I didn't want to make him even more mad…so I…” Trunks trailed off, but his cheeks flamed even more which confused Goten and their audience.

“Dad told me on the way here, that he was wrong. It's normal for saiyans. Boys can like boys, and he shouldn't have said that.” By now the blush on Trunks’ face had grown to cover the tips of his ears and down his neck. Blue eyes were still glued to the covers under his knees, and he whispered, “Goten, I like you too. Will you forgive me?”

Wide black eyes stared at Trunks while Goten's mouth opened and closed like a fish. The poor boy was so surprised that he didn't know what to say. Happiness welled up within his heart, and a big grin bloomed over his face.

“Yes!” His loud whisper was muffled as the younger cub launched himself at the other. The action caused both demi-saiyans fall back on the bed. Goten had his arms wrapped around Trunks’ neck as he giggled in the other's neck, and Trunks’ arms automatically wrapped around Goten's middle. A black tail wagged like a puppy's to show the boy's happiness.

The lavender haired boy beamed into black spikes, and he let out a small laugh of his own. He tightened his hug on the other as the weight he carried for months evaporated into nothingness, and his tail was wagging as well. After a few minutes of hugging, Trunks and Goten sat up with smiles on their faces.

“You look funny in my clothes.” Goten said to Trunks with another giggle making the other look down. Both cub's were in black, loose shorts with white tank tops, but on Trunks, the material hugged his developing muscles more. The older boy tugged at the material with a shrug. He didn't mind it.

“Well, Dad didn't want to leave your dad to go back to our room to change, so I had to borrow this. I don't think I've ever seen him so worried or scared before. I thought he was going to explode when your uncle threatened to kick him out.” He looked back to the larger form beside the two of them on the bed, only to widen his eyes at seeing amused and slightly damp eyes watching the two boys. Goten flowed his gaze and beamed at the sight.

“Daddy! You're finally awake!” The younger cub almost shouted as he moved to hug his father around the neck. The submissive chuckled as he shushed his son to keep from waking the rest of the saiyans that were still miraculously sleeping soundly. A strong arm hugged Goten as Kakarot sat up in the bed.

“I'm happy to see you too, Goten.” The pure blood purred to his son as he rubbed Goten's back when he felt his shirt grow slightly damp. The boy purred as he nuzzled his face into the crook of the neck his face was buried in at the moment. He was smiling as a few more tears leaked out. “It's ok. I'm alright now.”

Trunks watched the scene with a small smile after yawning. He was relieved that both Goten and Goku were alright for now, and he moved to slide off the bed to give the two their privacy. However, a large, silky smooth tail wrapped around his middle drawing him back to the pair making a small squeak escape from his throat to his embarrassment.

“You don't have to leave, Trunks.” Blue eyes looked over his shoulder to see a yawning Goten and a smiling submissive saiyan looking at him. The tail tugged him closer until Kakarot could wrap him up in a hug as well. The confused cub put his hands on the adult’s chest as he looked into kind eyes. “Thank you for apologizing to Goten. He really missed you.”

Another flush dusted Trunks’ cheek as he looked down from those eyes. His lavender tail twitched behind him before it was captured by a smaller black tail making him shudder at the feeling. His eyes met with Goten's as another yawn came from the younger boy. This made Trunks yawn as well, and Kakarot chuckled at the two in his arms.

“Why don't you stay here? You can sleep with us.” He got a sleepy nod from one cub as the other drifted off with a happy smile on his face. The beta settled the boys along his right side, and he grinned as he watched the two curl up together like kittens. Tiny purrs came from Goten and Trunks as they both fell into a deep sleep.

The submissive brushed lavender and black bangs as he watched the two demi-saiyans with a tender smile on his face. He was so happy that they had made up. Poor Goten was so unhappy with Trunks during the past couple of months, and from the looks of things, the feeling was mutual.

Kakarot's eyes moved from the cuddle pile beside him to the door where he could almost taste Vegeta's energy. A frown replace the soft look the beta had as he narrowed his eyes when he spotted tuffs of black, flame like hair that dropped down slightly over the armrest the alpha was using for a pillow.

The beta felt a bit uncomfortable with Vegeta so close to him. As much as Kakarot wanted to march out there and throw the former prince out of his room, some of the things Trunks said stopped him. 

Was Vegeta really that worried over him? Has he been there the entire time the submissive was out?

An image of the dominant bowing before him flashed in his mind, and Kakarot covered his face with a hand. He never thought Vegeta would ever do something like that, and the gesture really touched him as loathed as he was to admit it. He thought he knew where he stood with the alpha, but now…things were different.

Could the two of them work things out? 

Kakarot stilled loved Vegeta, but he was afraid of getting hurt. He had been betrayed by someone close to him once, and the former prince wasn't in the top of his list of people he liked at the moment.

Should he give Vegeta a chance?

The submissive felt his eyes get heavy the longer he thought. Kakarot moved to lay back down on the bed as he pushed his questions and thought of Vegeta out of his head for the moment. He'd pick up the puzzle in the morning after he got some more sleep…and food.

Kakarot moved on his side, and curled around the two boys as much as his stomach would allow.


	17. Chapter 17

The next morning, Vegeta awoke just before dawn as was his habit. He groaned over the stiff muscles in his back from sleeping on a couch, but a few stretches had his bones popping. He let out satisfied groan as he felt his body melt a bit in satisfaction at the release in tension. The dominant remained still on his makeshift bed to prolong the feeling of relief.

He tried to move further back down in the cushions so he could go back to sleep in the pre morning hours, but his body wasn't relaxing enough for sleep to come back to him. Realizing that he wouldn't get anymore sleep, Vegeta sat up cursing the damn couch with a yawn. Dressed in only crimson red gi pants, he relished the cool air brushing his skin as he looked around the room and swung his legs over the side of sofa. 

Tarble was curled up in a ball on a rather large sofa like a cat with his tail tip just out from under the blanket flicking back and forth in his sleep. He was facing Vegeta with one of his hands balled up in a fist that blocked the view of his mouth. A small smile spread over the former prince at the cute sight, but he would rather die then ever admit that he thought that. He had an image to maintain after all.

His onyx eyes looked over to where he had tucked Trunks last night only for his heart to stop as it leapt into his throat at the sight of messy blankets and pillows. The alpha felt the beginnings of panic when he didn't see his son among the mess, and he feared the worst as his eyes darted around the room in the hope that the boy just moved to a different spot. It had happened in the past.

“Trunks?! Where are you?!” He called out as he frantically looked around the room making Tarble sit up. The beta watched the older saiyan as he tore apart the room like a man possessed. He winced as he glanced towards Kakarot’s room hoping the noise hadn’t woken the others. Vegeta ignored his brother as he rushed to Goten's room when his search of the sitting room turned up empty. 

His hands slammed on either side of the doorframe as he peered in the room, and he cursed at the lack of cub in the darkness. His tail was bushed up as it lashed behind him as he turned around for another room. He almost tripped over his feet in his dash.

A multitude of scenarios ran through his not fully awake mind, and each one made the dominant for desperate to find Trunks. The lavender haired cub was one of the alpha's most precious treasures, and he would do anything to keep his son safe from any threat.

“What's wrong, brother?” Tarble asked through a yawn as he watched the alpha move to Kakarot's study. One of his hands was rubbing at an eye, and the beta had a kittenish look to him. A baggy navy shirt with white pants added to the cuteness factor he possessed. His own eyes were looking around the room to see if he could find the source of Vegeta's panic, and they widened when he couldn't spot his nephew.

The former prince moved to Kakarot's room to wake the other saiyans so he could have help in locating his missing cub. The fear that someone had kidnapped Trunks was growing by the second, and Vegeta wanted his son found as soon as possible. And if Trunks was missing, Goten might be as well. He pushed open the door while opening his mouth, but he froze when his eyes landed on the bed.

Trunks and Goten were curled up together on the bed with Kakarot's arms wrapped around the two of them protectively. All three had small smiles on their faces as they slept completely unaware of the panic caused by the lavender haired boy’s absence from his father's eyes. Three different trills of purrs could be heard from the pile that showed contentment.

“Thank the Gods…He's safe,” Vegeta muttered as he placed a hand over his frantically beating heart in an attempt to calm it now that his son was found. The alpha sagged against the doorframe as he continued to watch over the sleeping forms on the bed content.

The younger prince rushed up beside his brother to look at what caused the dominant to almost collapse like a puppet that had its strings cut, and he smiled at the sight. He was just as relieved as Vegeta when he saw Trunks in the safety of Kakarot's room. The smaller beta had become very attached to his nephew as soon as he saw the boy.

“Damn cub is going to give me a heart attack one day,” Vegeta spoke under his breath, but his words lacked any bite. His muttering caused the three other dominants sleeping in the room to stir, and the former prince moved back to the sitting room to clean up a bit so he wouldn't be the reason behind Raditz's shouting this early in the day. 

A shirtless Bardock let loose a low protective growl as he looked for the source of the disturbance and saw the younger beta. He eased up on the hostility, but he still gave the smaller man a glare at being woken up. This made Raditz and Gohan sit up as well with bleary eyes.

Tarble held one finger to his lips as he pointed to the bed with his other hand. Gohan, Raditz, and Bardock saw the three still asleep, and quietly left the room. Gohan trailed after the older saiyans and gave his father and little brother a final look before shutting the door behind him. Vegeta was throwing blankets and pillows back into the pile that had been Trunks’ bed as everyone else took in the messy room. 

The eldest demi-saiyan gave Vegeta a questioning look as he smoothed some of the ruffled fur on his tail. He was still getting used to having it again. Raditz pulled one blanket over his bare legs from where his black shorts didn't cover, and another one to help his black tank top keep him a bit warmer as he settled on the same sofa as his father.

“He couldn't find Trunks when he woke up, and like always, he assumed the worst.” A soft voice came from beside him that had him jerking his head towards the source. Tarble was giving the young alpha a sweet smile that made a flush spread over Gohan's cheeks, and the demi-saiyan cleared his throat as he scratched one of his cheeks feeling a bit self-conscious in being in only his purple gi pants.

The teen shuffled to take a seat on the only free sofa with Tarble sitting on the other end. The teen's eyes darted to the floor, but they occasionally moved to glance over at the smaller saiyan. He was so enraptured by the younger prince that he didn't noticed Vegeta watching his every move with a look of exasperation.

The flame haired man had to resist the urge to face palm over the puppy love in Gohan's black eyes. Judging from the infinitely more subtle glances Tarble was giving Gohan the attraction went both ways. It seemed the demi-saiyan cursed himself on the trip to Vegetasei, and that made the former prince wonder what was with Kakarot's and his families being drawn to each other like they were. 

At least Vegeta didn't have anymore beta relatives. He wasn't sure he could stand if Bardock and Raditz found mates in them too, and he was thanking whatever deity there was for that small mercy. It was bad enough that the hairball was going to be his brother in law if he could earn another chance at being Kakarot's mate. Not to mention it was beginning to look like their youngest cubs would end up mating, at least there was no shared blood. Figuring out his own family tree if he actually mated Kakarot was going to give him a migraine.

“Looks like Kakarot woke up last night.” Bardock's rough voice cut through any other thoughts in Vegeta's head. The words brought a sense of relief in every person in the room that caused the atmosphere in the chambers to lighten up. “He should be out of any danger the doctors feared he was in while unconscious.”

“Should we wake him back up?” Gohan asked his grandfather with a hint of unease in his voice. “Is it alright that he's sleeping right now?” He glanced back over at the closed door as he bit his lip. 

“No. You don't want to interrupt his sleep. Trust me.” Bardock gave a smirk as he also looked back over to the door. “Kakarot is vicious when he's woken up before he's ready. That boy almost took my arm off the last time I did that.” The alpha lifted his left arm to show the others four slightly jagged lines along his forearm.

It was late in the afternoon and growing cooler with the scent of rain on the air. Kakarot decided to nap outside on the balcony of his rooms on a whim on a chaise that had been placed there. All in all Bardock was reluctant to leave his youngest be. He figured it would be a simple matter to rouse the beta long enough to settle him in his bed. 

All he did was rest a hand on the submissive's shoulder as he called out his name. So it surprised the hell out of him when Kakarot snarled as soon as he was touched, and his nails raked over his father's arm before Bardock could move back out of his range. Sleepy onyx eyes glared at the dominant with a growl before calmly settling back into the pillows and sleeping peacefully. Since then, the dominant had waited for his son to wake up naturally to avoid any repeated injuries.

Raditz winced in sympathy, as did the other saiyans. Vegeta and Tarble shared a knowing glance remembering their father’s tales of their own bearer’s behavior. Their carrier had killed several guards for waking him up one night, and it took almost a month to get all the blood off the walls and floors.

Gohan looked in disbelief at the scars on Bardock's arm. All four lines started just below his elbow and curved around the limb to stop on the underside of the arm just short of the wrist. He had never heard of his father being so…feral. Even Bulma’s stories of his father as a child….His grandfather laughed out right at the look on the teen's face.

“Boy, you have no idea what a pregnant saiyan is capable of, do you?” The older men in the room shared a shudder while Gohan looked around perplexed. Seeing the clueless look on the demi-saiyan's face was extremely amusing, and Bardock moved to rest his arms along the backrest of the sofa he was on as he explained things to Gohan.

“There are three things to remember if you want to survive being in close proximity to a pregnant saiyan. Keep them in mind, and you might survive the pregnancy unscathed.” The teen looked nervous now, and the older alpha couldn't help but find some sadistic humor in this. He bared his teeth in a fanged grin that made Gohan gulp. Judging by the puppy love going on, his grandson would need all the help he could get.

“Number one, never disturb one while they are sleeping or eating. Pregnant saiyans, especially beta males, need all the energy they can gather. Their ki is used to help sustain the pregnancy so they have little to no extra energy to spare. They need to eat well and get plenty of rest to keep their ki and physical energy at a stable level. If you get in the way of that, they will lash out no matter what their relationship is to you.”

“Then you should have known better than to mess with Kakarot, father.” Raditz chimed in with a grin. “Especially with what you told me about mother’s behavior. You did say he takes after her in personality. Didn’t she try to castrate you for eating the last piece of fruit?” The other saiyan’s snickered despite Bardock’s growling.

“Number two,” he snapped ignoring the interruption of his teaching moment “don’t come into their space unless they invite you. Now your father is a bit different from other saiyans due to his unique upbringing, but he is still territorial. He usually remains close to me and Raditz because he feels safe with us, and he obviously does with you as well considering you’re his cub. However he is easily frightened or angered when others get too close.” He and Raditz shared a look knowing Kakarot’s arrival on Vegetasei hadn’t made things any better. “Cubs in general are exception to the rule, as you can see in there.” He nodded at the bedroom door. “Your brother crawls all over Kakarot when he’s asleep, and Kakarot never even twitches.”

“Little brat even mooched off Kakarot’s meal one afternoon for extra meat.” Raditz grumbled as he rubbed the back of his head. He remembered the glare he got when he reached for a roll that had been next to his brother's plate. For a second, he thought he would loose something vital.“Still not sure how he managed that.”

“Number three, and this is the most important one of them. Never do ANYTHING,” here he glared sharply at Vegeta that made the former prince wince under his eyes. “Anything to cause them unnecessary stress. It could cause health problems that could result in the loss of either the cub or the carrier.”

Gohan looked at his grandfather in confusion. From what the younger alpha knew about saiyans, their race was an extremely hardy one. It was very difficult to kill a saiyan normally, Gohan himself was living proof of that and he was only a half-breed. It would make sense carriers would be a bit more fragile during pregnancy with what he know of the reproductive process, the teen assumed that natural saiyan resilience would still apply to carriers and unborn babies as well if to a lesser degree.

“Yes, our race is strong, Gohan.” Bardock had been watching him, and he read the teen's thoughts from his face. He sighed at the lack of education the demi-saiyan had, but that couldn't be blamed on anyone but Frieza. Pushing thoughts of the lizard out of his head before he got too agitated, the older man continued his lecture.

“Despite how we are, saiyan pregnancies are very fragile. It's mostly because of the amount of energy it takes to carry a cub to term. Betas and females are very vulnerable, and they constantly rely on the protection their alphas and alpha family members. Any stress could disrupt the delicate balance of the energy flow between carrier and cub.”

Gohan nodded as his thoughts about his race altered at bit with this new information. The teen now knew just how hard it was for his father to carry his new sibling, and he felt his concern rise just a bit. Vegeta could see Gohan’s ingrained human instincts rearing their head, and he sneered at the thought of his mate being perceived anything remotely close to the weakness of humans.

“Gohan, Kakarot is going to be fine. He’s not so fragile as you think he is. He wouldn’t be cuddling two cubs in there purring in his sleep if he weren’t.” He said calmly attempting to calm the teen. “At the moment, all we need to worry about is having breakfast up here before Kakarot wakes up. He'll be very hostile until he eats.”

Four out of five saiyans cringed at the thought, and rushed to get a hot meal brought up as soon as possible.


	18. Chapter 18

Turles paced in his room, shirtless for the time being after his recent shower, with a thoughtful look on his face. His loose charcoal pants hung low on his hips, and the fabric clung to his damp skin in places. Located in the guard quarters of the palace it had taken every persuasive skill the space pirate possessed and a few threats to get this private room from one of the guard captains, but it was worth the trouble in the end.

While it was a smaller place than he would like, the location was close to the object of his desire. Turles could easily track the beta throughout the palace from this room, and ever since he arrived, the dominant had done just that. He could get physically closer to the submissive, but that's where things stalled.

The dark skinned saiyan growled at his lack of progress with Kakarot, his tail lashing in frustration. After his first meeting, the dominant tried to find another way to get in contact with the beta, but that infernal Bardock and Raditz repeatedly countered his efforts. Neither of them would let Kakarot out of the palace or even his own chambers alone and one or the other were with him at all times even there. It was infuriating.

That fool should be flattered that his youngest was attracting his attention, and wanted to mate Kakarot regardless of Vegeta’s betrayal. Something had made Bardock hostile towards him and that had stopped his attempts to openly approach Kakarot. That left attempting to sneak time with the beautiful beta only to be thwarted yet again as Bardock and Raditz chased him away. 

The older alpha had gone as far as hunting for him and had begun to give Turles the impression that Bardock would like nothing more than to mount Turles’ head over his mantle. Turles was under no illusions and knew that Bardock could quite easily do so if he got his hands on the dark skinned saiyan, and Turles liked his head where it was at the moment. As a result he needed to be very cautious around Bardock, he wasn’t stupid enough to go up against the older super saiyan in a fair fight if things came to that.

Calming himself with a breath his mind returning to the rather interesting information he learned following Kakarot, Tarble, and Bardock to Vegeta's quarters. He couldn't believe his luck when none of the group shut the door after entering the room. The pirate rather enjoyed listening to Vegeta being yelled at by his mate, and some of the things that were said gave Turles the impression that the former prince was in deep trouble with the beta. It didn’t look like Kakarot was going to be forgiving the foolish prince anytime soon, and that gave him no small amount of satisfaction.

Unfortunately, that satisfaction was short lived. For the last three days, Kakarot had remained unconscious, and Vegeta has been in the same room as the beta since his collapse. Turles bared his elongated teeth in a snarl at the thought of the former prince being so close to that beautiful submissive. 

The space pirate couldn't believe that Bardock was allowing the very person that caused Kakarot's collapse to remain so close to him, but he chases any other potential mate away. It was illogical. Turles fumed at the thought of Vegeta touching Kakarot like he had any right to the beta after he rejected him.

He stopped pacing as he pictured the submissive in his mind with a lustful expression. Every time Turles saw Kakarot, he was more attractive than the last, and his scent was absolutely delicious. The potent pheromones drew the alpha like a moth to a flame, and he would gladly burn in Kakarot's heat. In fact, the dark skinned saiyan craved that heat.

Now, the alpha wondered how he could use the information he overheard to get Kakarot to bind himself to Turles. It wasn't enough to just get in the submissive's bed, the dark skinned saiyan wanted to find a way to keep his look a like for good. That submissive had bested him once in battle, and that proved to the dominant that Kakarot was a worthy mate.

The alpha wanted to keep that beautiful and powerful saiyan to himself. Kakarot would bare him strong cubs, and he would have his entire race look upon him with envy and jealousy at the sight of the two of them together. After a few years, the pirate and his family could sail the cosmos like he did after Vegetasei blew up. He would make sure Kakarot wanted for nothing, or their cubs. They would have only the finest in everything. Kakarot would forget all about Vegeta and his other cubs.

The oldest son was powerful, but he and the other boy were only half saiyan. Turles didn't really want those two around his potential cubs, and he didn't want to entertain the thought of having a boy with Vegeta's blood anywhere on his ship. There was no room for any of those three in the pirate’s vision.

It would be a fresh start for the two of them. No responsibilities holding them back from previous relationships, and no limits that restricted their actions. It might be hard on the beta at first to leave them, but Turles would provide others to keep him from missing his half breeds and the full but weak blooded cub.

The beeping of his com monitor brought Turles out of his thoughts. When he saw the signal of the call, a dark grin grew on his face. He strolled over to the view screen that was on a desk. He pressed a few keys on the keyboard as he sat down. The pirate grinned at the face that appeared on the screen.

“Oaklio, it's been some time.” A small humanoid about three and a half feet was on the other side of the link. He had gold eyes that contrasted with his lime green skin. Shaggy brown hair stopped at the nape of his neck with none over his face. Forest green horns curled around his skull like a ram’s. His teeth were bared in a smile showing how each one was jaggedly pointed. He wore solid white saiyan like armor and coat showing that Oaklio was a scientist.

“Turles,” Oaklio rasped out with a slight snicker. “I see you’re back among the living. How was your stay in Hell?” His tone was mocking as his small arms crossed over his chest. His smile grew wider once he saw a frown replace the grin on the saiyan's face. 

“Cut the chitchat, Oaklio. Were you able to find out what I asked you?” Turles tried his best to keep his animosity out of his words. The alpha hated to deal with this particular male, but Oaklio was an intelligent being that could find information on just about anything. He needed to know what his contact found out.

“You mean about saiyan mating bonds? I would think you would know more on that subject than I would. After all, are you not a monkey as well?” The green male laughed when he saw Turles bare his fangs on reflex at the derogatory name for his race. “Oh? If you're going to be like that, perhaps you don't want to know what I found out after all.”

“Apologizes, that was rude of me, Oaklio.”Turles was forced to put a placating smile back on his face when all he wanted to do was tear a limb off the smug scientist. The pirate’s tail had bushed up and was lashing just under the view of the view screen. “Does this mean you've found something?”

Oaklio nodded, deciding to get to business. There was only so long he could provoke a saiyan with Turles’ temper before it came back to bit him in the ass. The former pirate had killed many of their mutual acquaintances for such actions before. He was content in the knowledge Turles wouldn’t kill him, but that said he had no doubt Turles would cripple him in some way if he continued baiting the saiyan. The green man reached for something off screen that had the alpha's full attention. A smile vial was brought into view with a dramatic flourish.

“Your rather fortunate Turles, I've done some research on a beta saiyan's DNA for the past few years. I was quite lucky to find such a well preserved sample considering at the time of its acquisition there were no known betas in existence with the destruction of your planet. I had planned to publish my research as study on an extinct species but with your reports of the whole planet being restored it seems I’ll have to cancel those plans.”

“I don’t care about your scholarly crap, just get on with it goat!” Turles shouted as Oaklio frowned angrily. The monkey could at least pretend to be somewhat interested in his findings. After all, the research was for the space pirate’s benefit. It was rather difficult for beta saiyan DNA to be transported from that back water mud ball to Oaklio’s home world.

“Based on findings from that data I believe I've found a way to neutralize a partial mating mark. This serum here, will dissolve the mark with few side effects. I trust this is what you were looking for, Turles?” Oaklio waved the small bottle between black nailed fingers.

The dominant never took his eyes off the light blue liquid in the glass. He could feel his anticipation rise at the thought of finally breaking the claim Vegeta had on Kakarot, and placing a claim of his own on the beta. Turles was still a bit leery about using the serum as he wasn't sure how Kakarot would react to it.

“Are you sure this will dissolve a mating mark? How does it work? What are the side effects?” A stoic expression appeared on the pirate’s face as he crossed his arms. Call the alpha paranoid, but he didn’t want Kakarot to be harmed in this endeavor. “I won't give you anything if it causes Kakarot any permanent damage or harm. He is too valuable for being a test subject.”

The golden eyes man narrowed his gaze at the saiyan as he fisted his hand around the vial. Oaklio looked insulted at the thought of anyone questioning his products or research, and he slammed his free had down on the table his view screen was on. His raspy sounding growl did nothing to change Turles’ expression.

“Of course it works you, simpleton! How dare you question my research?!” Oaklio sneered at the saiyan, and he set the bottle down to tap on some keys. A smaller picture appeared on the upper right corner of the screen for Turles to see. “I'll walk you through it so even a monkey like you can understand it!”

A diagram with DNA strands appeared on screen. “This is saiyan DNA, DNA from a Beta in particular. Attached to the DNA are specific markers that as you can see are not present in an alpha’s DNA.” He explained as a diagram of an alpha’s DNA appeared next to it. Oaklio's face lost his sneer as he went into lecture mode, and a gleam of scientific curiosity shined in his golden eyes.

“As you are well aware, saiyans possess unique biology in that their blood cells are capable of self replication under the proper conditions. Personally I believe this in conjunction with the actual structure of your tissues is part of the reason your race is so durable. Now if I understand your mating correctly, you “mark” each other and exchange blood.” He said with another sneer showing his thoughts on the barbaric practice. Turles growled deep in his chest at the insults to his race.

“Normally the exchange of blood, while unsanitary in this manner, is not enough to form a bond. The bond is created when two saiyans have the proper pheromones in their systems that essentially activates the markers in the beta’s DNA and engage in sexual activity. Once active, these markers in the Beta’s DNA fuse with the alpha’s DNA and bind irreversibly by natural means.” Oaklio explained as his diagram demonstrated the merging of the two DNA strands. “The serum is a special formula of synthetic chemicals that act specifically on those markers in the joined DNA and unravels the two.” 

“Alright, now the side effects?” Turles asked with a sharp look as he was running that over in his head. It was slightly complicated to the pirate, but the dominant could understand the basics of what the serum did. He was still concerned about what the liquid could do to his future mate, and if it was worth using. If the side effects were sever enough, Turles would have to find another way to claim Kakarot.

“Understandably I have no way to be completely sure of its effects.” Oaklio said. “There has never been an instance before the destruction of your planet that allowed for a test. In spite of that after testing the serum through a simulation the only thing it should do is render the subject unconscious for two hours while the mating bond is dissolved. Additionally, I anticipate the subject will not be able to use his ki for 48 hours give or take, and experience severe disorientation and possibly nausea or headaches as a result of the sudden lack of energy. Nothing harmful to your precious beta. Just inject the solution into his bond bite and keep him somewhere quiet where he can be comfortable until the effects wear off.” Oaklio sighed with a wave of his hand. “Now, do we have a deal?”

“Yes. I'll take it. I expect that serum to be here be the Kalious Festival. You'll have your pay as soon as it gets here.” Turles smirked at the thought of having Kakarot to himself before long. He disconnected with Oaklio after he got an acknowledgement, and a dark chuckle rang out in the darkening room.

Things looked like they were falling into place. Now, Turles needed to make sure that Vegeta remained in the doghouse long enough for him to get the serum. Kakarot will have to make an appearance at the festival, and it'll be easier to take him then. Hopefully the brat will have been born by then. Turles had no intention of raising another alpha's cub.

“Soon, Kakarot. You'll be mine.”


	19. Chapter 19

Goku's eyes snapped open to the wonderful smell of food. Both he and his stomach growled at the scent, and the rumbling woke the two cubs in his arms. When he pushed his upper body up with his arms to look at the closed door to his bedroom, his movement drew the attention of the demi-saiyans. Goten and Trunks blinked a bit in confusion before they rushed off the bed at the sound of clinking dishes.

The hunger Kakarot felt was making him very irritated, and he felt somewhat weak. The ki that fluttered under his heart from his child was demanding more energy, and that caused some of the submissive's rational thought to haze over in his quest for food.

The beta watched the boys race out as he struggled to get off the bed. The weight of the baby in his belly made it difficult for him to move easily, and he growled in frustration at the amount of time it took him to get to the edge of the bed. With a final grunt, Goku managed to heft himself to his feet.

When he got to the sitting room, all his attention was drawn to the massive amounts of food on a large table that had been brought up. He licked his lips at the sight of meats, fruits, and breads. Goten and Trunks were already eating, and the submissive quickly took a seat and began to pile food on a plate.

The rest of the saiyans were sitting on the far side of the table, as far from Goku as possible. They knew to give him a wide berth so he wouldn't feel threatened over his food. Bardock, Raditz, Tarble, and Vegeta were watching the beta as they slowly ate while Gohan watched his father with morbid fascination. The pregnant saiyan was eating twice as fast as he usually did, and the food on his end of the table was quickly vanishing. Gohan honestly wondered where all that food went when his father ate under normal circumstances, this defied the laws of physics.

Bardock and Gohan were the closest ones sitting near Kakarot besides the boys, and the older alpha felt nervous in his seat. The last time he was this close to the submissive when he was in a semi-instinctual state gave him four new scars. The older saiyan lost the game of rock, paper, scissors, and he was forced into that seat. He was constantly watching his younger cub out of the corner of his eye as he slowly ate his breakfast.

Bardock slowly reached out for a plateful of a yellow fruit that resembled slices of kiwi, but a deep growl made him freeze. His eyes glanced over at the submissive with his hand still outstretched for the plate. Seeing the glare on Kakarot's face gave him a flashback with his own mate before she died giving birth to his carbon copy.

The irony was not lost on the dominant, and his muscles tensed in preparation for making a dash out the door. Kakarot's lip curled up to show his teeth when Bardock tried to bring his hand back from the plate. The glare locked on the older saiyan made the hairs on the back of his neck rise, and the fear associated with dealing with a pregnant beta cause Bardock to break out in a cold sweat.

“Dad?” Gohan hesitantly called out to the beta making him look over from his father. “How are you feeling?” A bead of sweat slipped down the side of the teen's face at the sight of the blank stare Kakarot was giving him. Slightly glazed black eyes blinked twice as the submissive swallowed the food in his mouth.

“Yeah, son. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?” Goku gave the older demi-saiyan a warm smile that made the tension disappear from the room. “Would you passing me that plate of fruit?” The submissive pointed to the plate that Bardock, who had hidden his hands under the table, had been reaching for just a few minutes ago.

Raditz unsuccessfully tried to smother a snicker at the look of relief on his father's face. This earned his a sharp glare from the older alpha, and a confused look from the pregnant beta. The reactions he got from his family made his snicker turned into a laugh. The amusement the dominant got when it wasn't him targeted by his little brother made his day every time.

Bardock bared his canine teeth in a snarl at his eldest that did nothing to stop the laughter. The older saiyan looked like he was about to launch himself at the long haired warrior if he didn't get himself under control, but a slap to the back of the head from Vegeta made Raditz stop laughing so he could glare at the former prince.

Tarble hid a giggle behind his hand. The younger beta enjoyed having this many people around the table for a meal. He never got to experience a situation like this while growing up, and the prince cherished every single moment.

Gohan pushed the plate over within Kakarot's reach distracting the pregnant saiyan with more food. The teen got another beaming smile before the beta dug into the food again. Goten snatched four pieces of the juicy, sweet fruit to share with the lavender haired boy, and the others watched as Goku never batted an eye at the theft.

The pure bloods laughed at the look of disbelief on the younger alpha's face. The look of shock grew when Kakarot added some type of wild boar meat to Goten's plate from his own. Goten just grinned at the others before eating again. The oldest teen looked back over to his grandfather who had an amused smirk on his face. The older man just shook his head at the unasked question before taking a large bite out of his own leg of meat.

“VEGETA!!!” A deep voice pierced the atmosphere making Tarble and the cubs flinch at the sound. Trunks and Goten shrank closer to Kakarot, and the beta snarled to the man that walked in the room with a look of anger on his face. K. Vegeta in his full royal garb stalled in his steps seeing the snarl in his direction, and he gave a somewhat sheepish look to Goku.

“Ah…my apologies, Kakarot. I'm just here to borrow my eldest. I'll return him soon” The monarchy glared at his still half naked son. He quickly grabbed Vegeta by the scruff of his neck, and proceeded to drag him out of the room. Tarble winced at the look on his father's face, and he felt sympathy for his brother at the chewing out he was going to receive.

The door slammed shut, but that didn't stop the sound of yelling. Every person in the room looked at the door with expressions ranging from sympathy to satisfaction. At first the words were muffled, but as time went on, everything said was heard loud and clear.

“-derstood from the last message I sent you! Yet you still cause him unnecessary harm! You know how sensitive a saiyan pregnancy is, and you still do stupid things like sneaking into Kakarot's room while he's asleep! How idiotic can you possibly be, boy?!” The younger prince flinched at the sound of his father's voice again as he bit his lower lip in concern.

“This from the man that barged into his rooms during breakfast screaming for me, you could have just summoned me to the throne room. Don’t even start on me about that when you did the same damn thing.” A snide tone crept into Vegeta's voice.

“I’m not the one who abandoned their mate and then almost put them in a coma from stress. You don’t think Vegeta, that’s your problem.” Raditz snorted. He opened his mouth to say something in agreement, but a sharp glare from his younger brother had him mumbling an excuse as he vacated to his own chambers.

“Stop throwing that in my face! I understand I messed up, and I’m trying to fix it. Do you have any idea how frustrating is it to deal with instincts I haven’t had since I was a child? That I never learned to deal with in the first place! I never came in contact with another saiyan that entered a heat, so forgive me for not knowing what was going on at first!” Bardock frowned at the door, but at least he understood the situation a bit better.

“Its always about your pride and being the best, doing whatever you please, damn the consequences. I understand that you've been reared away from your race, but that's no excuse!” 

“Why? Oh, that's right…because you were the one to hand me over to Frieza. Don’t pin my shortcomings in this all on me, Father. You are the one that told me of our pride, that we were superior to everyone and that as prince I was to be strongest. You told me I was going to be the legendary super saiyan! What else was I supposed to do when I ended up with no one but Nappa and Raditz to teach me any different? I didn’t know! Until that day at the lake, I had never smelled anything like that from Kakarot. I never would have treated Kakarot that way had I known.” This made the pregnant submissive lower his head as he processed that. 

“If you were anyone else besides my son I’d have killed you in the arena myself. As it stands, the only reason I haven’t exiled you is that Kakarot doesn’t want me to, and don't even get me started on your title. I highly doubt you could ever earn that back. Do you know what's it's been like for him here?! He’s constantly on edge from alphas stalking him and clinging to his father and brother when it should have been you protecting him.”

“You think I don’t know that! I don't give a damn about my title, and I am sick of everyone not involved taking this out on me! The only people who have any right to pass judgment on me are in that room, and I will be damned before I tolerate any more crap from you or anyone else!”

There was an audible sound of flesh striking flesh behind that door. Kakarot lifted his head to stare at the door with wide eyes. He felt the need to go to Vegeta, but Bardock set a hand on his shoulder. The older man shook his head at the confused look, and his gaze returned to the door.

“You listen to me, Vegeta. You may be my son, but you will not disrespect your KING. Leave Kakarot alone unless he asks for you by name. You are not a prince, you have no authority any longer, you are a disgrace to the House of Vegeta for your actions against Kakarot and until I deem otherwise a third class warrior. Cross me or hurt Kakarot again and not only will I banish you from the planet for treason, I will beat you myself and rip your tail off publicly before I do it. Am I clear?”

“Crystal,” Vegeta snarled.

“Get out of my sight, and remove your belongings from Kakarot’s chambers.” Everything went silent after that.

Goku watched as Vegeta came back in the room with a bowed head. The beta could see traces of regret, anger, guilt, and self-loathing on the former prince’s face as well as the red mark from where K. Vegeta slapped his son. If he had doubted the remorse the alpha had, they had vanished now. He still wasn't ready to completely forgive Vegeta, but he felt ready to make a start.

The cub in his belly gave a hard kick just then, and Kakarot placed a hand over the spot to calm his child. When another strike hit the side of his stomach, an idea came to him. The beta's eyes looked back at Vegeta who was still standing at the door with his back pressed in the wood looking so miserable.

“Father, can you give us a few minutes alone? I need to talk to Vegeta.” Goku leaned over to whisper in his father's ear, and the alpha gave him an incredulous expression. The request made his hackles rise, and his immediate response was to deny it.

“You can't be serious…” He whispered back to his youngest. The submissive just looked pleadingly back in response, and that face broke Bardock's resolve. The dominant motioned for the rest of the group to follow him, and the man shoved them out of the sitting room into Bardock's rooms.

Now that he was alone with Vegeta, Goku could feel his nerves acting up, but he settled himself with a deep breath. The beta moved to sit on a couch closer to the alpha that hadn't moved an inch. He tilted his head to try and get a better look at the former prince’s face as he called out.

“Vegeta?” The soft sound of his name being called made the half naked saiyan's head snap up with a slightly shell shocked look on his face. Seeing no one but Kakarot in the room with him had his heart racing, but he still refused to move. Even a beckoning gesture from the younger male didn’t offer any motivation for the dominant to move closer.

Kakarot let out a sigh when Vegeta remained plastered to the door. While he was sure a whine would get the alpha to move, it would also bring his father back in the room as well. The submissive was sure Bardock was parked right in front of the door that connected their rooms together waiting for any sign of distress. While comforting, it was not what he had in mind for this conversation. Goku slowly got to his feet and walked over to the former prince.

The beta gentle took ahold of Vegeta's wrist once he got close enough, and lead him to the largest couch in the room. The alpha watched his mate in confusion as they came to a stop. He grew concerned when Kakarot gave a wince, but before he could ask anything, the taller saiyan placed his hands on the alpha's shoulders and pushed down.

Vegeta followed the movement with no protest, and he settled on the plush cushions. Kakarot joined him on the other side of the sofa with a small hiss that had the dominant instinctually shifting towards him. Once the beta was as comfortable as he could get, he just looked at Vegeta with a neutral gaze.

“We need to talk, Vegeta.” The former prince just barely refrained from wincing at those words. So far, all the talks he had been involved in had shouting, and a sense of dread grew whenever he heard that phrase. Kakarot picked up on the unease the alpha had, and he had to hide a smile at what he was going to do next.

“Don't worry, I'm not going to yell at you. I just want to go over a few rules, that's all.” Vegeta lifted a brow at his mate who was smiling serenely at him. He gave a nod after a few long moments as he turned in his seat to face the submissive.

“First, I want you to have all my meals made for me whenever I get hungry. It doesn't matter what it is, just make sure there are lots of fruits and meat. The cub has me craving those sage apples all the time.” Now Vegeta had both eyebrows lifted as Kakarot continued. The beta had his eyes closed in thought with a hand holding his chin.

“Second, I want you to start finding me soft blankets and pillows. Make sure they are really soft, and no one but you touches them. Third, I want you in my chambers all the time. You might want to use Goten's room, that way you won't have to go very far after I go to sleep at night. Finally, you will do whatever else I need or want you to do, okay?” Kakarot opened his eyes to smile back at the older saiyan as he rubbed a hand over his baby bump.

Vegeta blinked at the list of demands with an extremely confused look on his face. The randomness of that list had him off balance, but he couldn't find it in him to refuse what could only be described as a servant’s duty when the submissive was looking like that at him. He had no right to refuse after all he's done to Kakarot.

“Very well,” he whispered as his head dropped down a bit even his tail was limp over the side of the couch. “May I ask why?” The question was asked with a resigned tone.

“I thought you wanted to be forgiven? How else can you earn it if we are not together.” Kakarot tilted his head to the side with that innocent expression and the big puppy eyes. 

Those words had Vegeta's head and tail snapping up so fast that a pop was heard. The chestnut furred appendage was wagging, and the alpha's eyes got huge with emotion. The beta couldn't help but giggle at the sight as he nodded to back up his statement. His own tail swayed behind him in contentment for the time being.

Vegeta felt a large grin stretch over his face, but he didn't care. He got a chance! 

“Oh!” The beta's wince and sudden gasp had the alpha's excitement draining as the taller form curled a bit over. Vegeta moved into a half standing half sitting position with his hands lightly touching the submissive. He was about to call out for Bardock when a hand grabbed his right wrist in a strong grip.

Before the former prince could ask what was wrong, Kakarot placed Vegeta's hand on his swollen belly. A thump from under his hand made anything the alpha was about to say vanish in wonderment. The older man moved to kneel beside his mate with his hand touching the baby bump.

“He wants to say hello to his daddy.” Kakarot explained to the dominant's bowed head with a slightly strained smile. “Cub has been getting stronger every day. He'll be a fighter when he's born.” He fought back a shiver when Vegeta followed the movements of his youngest with gentle touches. It gave the beta hope that just maybe they could do this together.

The two saiyans didn't say any more as they spent the remainder of the morning feeling their unborn child move within his home.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter! Here is your present!

Goten and Trunks had given Tarble and Bardock the slip after breakfast. It wasn't that hard to do with both adults trying to eaves drop on their fathers, and the cubs were getting bored just sitting in the room. Now both boys, dressed in their armor were racing out of the palace into the open skies of Vegetasei.

Goten was very happy now that he finally had his friend back with him. He was so thrilled that his little, black tail had yet to stop wagging. He grinned over to the older demi-saiyan as he twirled in the air. Trunks just laughed at his friend's antics and joined in on the acrobatic spree Goten started.

“Hey, Goten!” Trunks’ voice was heard over the rushing wind. Black eyes met with blue as the younger cub lead the way through the clouds. “What's the planet like?! I haven’t had a chance to explore just yet!” 

“Really?! Come on, I've got a really cool place to show you!” Goten reached out to grab the lavender haired boy’s hand with his own, and the two banked hard to the right towards a jungle in the distance. 

Goten brought Trunks to a waterfall hidden deep within the foliage. Blue eyes took in the scenery with a look of astonishment on his face. The demi-saiyans touched down onto the cliff beside the falls, and the black haired cub watched with his grin still on his face as Trunks observed everything in sight.

While Vegetasei was somewhat similar to Earth, there were still differences that became noticeable the closer one looked. Some of the tree leaves had purple mixed in with the green, and blue, red, and lavender flowers mixed in with the vines and bushes making the landscape look like something out of a dream.

“Wow…this is amazing!” The older boy looked over the side of the cliff. A pool of water with a reddish tint collected far below. Everything was so new to Trunks that he couldn't decide where to look next, but a face full of water brought his attention back to the waterfall. He turned to stare through wet lavender strands of hair at his friend.

Goten had his hands in front of him as he giggled. He pushed another wave of water with his energy to soak the lavender haired boy again. Trunks laughed happily as he began launching his own blasts of water back at Goten.

A noise was heard over the laughter the boys shared as they played in the cascading water. Two sets of eyes looked out in the distance to see some bird like creatures fleeing from the noise. Another cry sounded out, but this one sounded like it was in pain.

Goten and Trunks looked at each other reading what needed to be said through their eyes and took off towards the sounds. The pair flew close to the ground and weaved around the plants in the jungle. As they got closer to the location of the two different noises, more sounds were being picked up.

Snarls and growls rumbled in the distance through the thick foliage. A crash made the cubs stop just behind a tree, and they were quick to scurry up in the branches to see what was happening.

Two creatures of the same species were fighting on the jungle floor. One was larger than the other, and it was clawing and biting any part of the smaller one it could reach. The only characteristic that the boys could identify was the fact that these things were reptiles, and one was injured. 

“What are those things?” Trunks asked while keeping his eyes glued to the violence. He had never seen anything like this back on Earth. Even the dinosaurs were not this violent when they fought.

“I'm not sure, but look at the smaller one.” Goten pointed with his hand. 

The smaller creature was trying to get away from the fight, but the larger kept attacking it. Several times it wrestled out from under vicious claws only to be pulled back for another beating. When the bigger reptile swiped over the other's eyes, Goten let out a gasp. The injured being let out another cry, and it flopped down on the ground as blue blood ran down its face.

The one still on its feet prowled over to his prey. It had a wicked gleam in its yellow eyes as it pinned the other reptile down with one of its legs. It snarled down, and lifted its free front leg to land another blow that would most likely kill the smaller animal, but a loud shout made him stop.

“Hey! Leave him alone, you big bully!” Goten had charged up to Super Saiyan and launched himself off the branch with a ki blast forming in both hands. The yellow energy surged between the cub's fingers as he pushed it at the hulking reptile. The blast hit the creature on its side, knocking it away from the injured one.

It knocked the thing back far enough that the black haired boy turned his back to it so he could check on the other creature. He was so concerned with the wounded reptile that he didn't notice the other one rushing back to attack him.

“Goten! Look out!” Trunks shouted out as he also came barreling out from the leaves. He was also in Super Saiyan mode, and he fired another blast at the large scaled animal. Goten let another one fly just behind the older boy’s blast, and the combined force drove the creature off. The cubs waited for a few minutes to see if it would come back, but it had left for good.

A whimper from behind them drew the demi-saiyans’ attention to the thing they had saved, and now they could get a better look at what it was.

It was a four-legged reptile the size of horse. The scales were a violet black that looked to be smooth like a snake. The pads of its feet had large black claws that were extremely sharp. A sleek tail was lay limp behind the animal. The head looked liked it belonged on some type of large cat, like a jaguar, but there were no cat like ears. Instead the animal had ear holes like most reptiles on Earth.

The scales had been sliced open from the other one’s claws, and blue blood was slowly pooling around the scaled body. The face of the reptile was scrunched up in pain, and it's eyes were closed. Thankfully, the heavy rise and fall of the exposed side showed that it was alive. It tried to get back on its feet, but it didn't succeed.

Purple eyes snapped open, when Goten moved closer to get a better look. Sharp teeth were bared in a growl as the animal tried to move in a defensive position. The younger boy stopped and just looked at the creature with sympathy.

“It's okay.” He softly said to the animal as he took another slow step. “I'm not gonna hurt you. I want to help.” He kept his hands where the animal could see them and moved slowly like his dad and brother taught him. He lowered himself to his knees to look smaller so the reptile would feel less threatened. “See I won’t hurt you.” 

“Goten, maybe we should leave it alone.” the fair haired boy said seeing the animal was still angry. The look it was giving the boys made a shiver run up his spine, but he tried to keep a brave face.

“But it’s hurt, we can’t just leave him here. What if the other one comes back?” The younger cub looked back to his friend with sad eyes. He always had a soft spot for animals especially if they were injured.

“But we can’t get close to it.” Trunks crossed his arms while he narrowed his eyes at the still growling creature. Goten frowned but nodded. A moment later the boy brightened, and scrambled to his feet.

“Oh, I’ve got an idea!” He looked back at the creature and smiled. “You wait here ok. We’ll be right back.” Taking to the skies Trunks followed him back to the waterfall. He walked up to the blacked haired boy with an exasperated look on his face.

“Goten, we don’t know what that thing is or how dangerous it can be... What are you doing?” He asked with a raised brow when he saw Goten pull the armor off over his head. The smaller boy called over his shoulder as he ran towards the water.

“Fishing!” He said jumping into the shallows. “It has sharp, pointy teeth, and Gohan told me those animals were carn-can- that they eat meat!” He looked around the water as he explained. His eyes darting left and right trying to find some type of fish.

“I get it, we’ll give it some fish.” Trunks smiled at the idea. He also started to pull off the armor on his own body to help out. “Maybe that will show it we want to help!”

“Uh huh,” Goten nodded. “Then we can take it home and help it get better.” Another bright smile grew on the innocent face as he watched the older cub join him in the water. 

“We can’t take it home Goten, we weren’t supposed to be out here remember. The grown ups will be mad, your grandpa especially.” The lavender haired boy informed his friend with a frown on his face. As cool as the animal looked, he had a feeling the grown ups wouldn’t like something like it in the palace.

“Oh yeah.” A depressed look grew on Goten's face. He was hoping he could keep it as a pet or something like that, but Trunks was right. His grandfather didn't seem like the type to bring in stray animals like his father.

“Hey, what if we hide it in my room?” Trunks asked when he saw the sad look. He wanted to cheer his friend up a bit. “Dad and I have been staying with you guys, so no one would look there.” The bright smile he got made his cheeks flush, and a fluttering feeling grow in his stomach.

“Yeah, that’s a great idea! Come on!”

That had been three days ago. After feeding it they managed to sneak it back into the palace using the balcony in Vegeta’s rooms. At first, the reptile didn't seem to trust the boys, but as time passed, he grew to like the rambunctious cubs.

“Sushi,” Goten called out softly as he and Trunks enter the bedroom. At the sound of his new name, the scaly form lifted his large head to look at the door to the room he was recuperating in. “Time for breakfast.”

“We brought some more medicine too.” Trunks said as he shut the door behind them as Goten pulled out the food he’d squirreled away from their own breakfast. The lizard-cat was stretched out in the pillows from Trunks’ bed, its tail swaying lightly behind it purring as the boys hand fed it.

“Wow, you’re almost better, Sushi!” Goten exclaimed as he scratched at a patch of violet black scales on the reptile’s neck. He arched into the scratches from the younger demi-saiyan with a rumble in his chest.

“Yeah, this stuff from the doctor is really cool, kinda like a senzu bean.” The older boy said as they spread the medicine on the handful of cuts still visible. Sushi purred and nuzzled the two before licking them. Both laughed as the large form gently used his paws to keep the boys close as he thanked them with licks from a rough tongue.

“Goten, Trunks its time for your lessons!” Tarble called out. Both boys went stiff as their names were heard. They had forgotten that their studies had started back after everyone was sure Goku was all right for the time being. Sushi looked with a tilted head as his young friends as they moved away from him.

“Uh oh.” Goten jumped up running for the door with Trunks not far behind. A chirp came from the reptile, and the older boy looked back over his shoulder to smile back. The cubs waved to Sushi as the slipped out the door.

“We’ll be back later, Sushi.” Trunks called out as they shout the door to his room.

Goten was already leaving Vegeta's chambers with the older boy quickly catching up to him. They met Tarble as he was coming down the hall, and the beta greeted them with a warm smile on his face. The demi-saiyans gave him a quick hug around his waist as soon as they got to him.

“Good, there you are! Your father has requested that your lessons take place in his study, Goten. I think he would feel a bit better of you were close by. It seems he's enter the nesting stage of his pregnancy.” Tarble put a hand on the boys’ shoulders as he guided them back to the older submissive's room.

“What have you two been doing lately? We've hardly seen you around the past couple of days.” The prince asked the cubs making the older of them stiffen a bit, but Goten answered without a thought.

“We got a new pet! His name is Sushi, and we've been taking care of him!” Trunks looked at the boy in disbelief, but Tarble just giggled at bit. 

“You'll have to show me some other time then. I'd love to meet your pet.” With a name that silly, what could they have possibly found? Trunks sighed in relief, as his uncle seemed ok with their pet. Maybe it wouldn’t be a big deal after all.

When the three got there, they saw an unexpected sight. Gohan was waiting for Tarble and the boys at the door to his father's study while Vegeta, Raditz, and Bardock were having a stare down with each other. Goku was oblivious to the tension around him because he submissive was resting with his eyes closed.

Kakarot had most of the chairs and sofas pushed to the edges of the room so he could have a large circular piece of furniture that resembled a cross between a couch and a bed close to the fireplace. The beta had Vegeta make it for him, and it was the first thing he had demanded from the dominant. Soft furs, blankets and pillows were covering the thing that the beta called his nest.

At the moment, Kakarot was laying among the furs, blankets, and pillows with part of his upper body resting on Vegeta. The beta had his head on the former prince’s chest with one arm loosely placed over the alpha's waist. The taller saiyan had his eyes closed, and he was purring in contentment.

Vegeta was a bit tense with his mate so close, but at the same time he was enjoying it. He had a hand carding through messy spikes as he watched over the dozing man. The pheromones Kakarot was producing was making him twitchy. The beta smelled so good, but he knew he couldn't do anything about that just yet.

“Get out of there, Vegeta!” Raditz hissed at the former prince with Bardock glaring from where he was standing with his arms crossed. He and his father had walked in the room to check on the beta only to see Vegeta being used for a pillow. The sight made Raditz bristle in anger.

“I can't, fur ball!” The harsh whisper had Kakarot scrunching his face in displeasure, and he let out a deep growl. The alpha froze for a second until the submissive saiyan relaxed again. “This was not my idea. As you can see, Kakarot refuses to let me leave.” His tone was a bit smug, and that made the longhaired warrior snarl.

“A panzaon! There's a panzaon in the palace!” Raditz, Bardock, Tarble, and Vegeta all stiffed in shocked disbelief at the cry of a guard close to the entrance of the wing. All four had slightly fearful expressions on their faces that confused the demi-saiyans.

“We have to find that thing! It could kill someone! Trunks, Goten, Tarble. Stay here with Kakarot. The rest of us will go hunt it down.” Bardock immediately started to order everyone. He looked over at Vegeta, who had yet to move. “Vegeta! Let's go!” He barked out at the other dominant.

“Don't you dare.” Came a dangerous tone from the form on Vegeta's chest when the alpha tensed his muscles so he could move off the nest. “You so much as move, you lose what makes you a man.” The former prince went a bit pale, but he took a risk and glanced down to see black eyes glaring at him. 

The submissive was aware of what was going on, but he was so comfortable that he refused to give his pillow up. It had taken a lot of time to get Vegeta to join him on his nest, and he'd be damned if someone interrupted his cuddle time before he was done.

“K-Kakarot, I need to go help,” Vegeta almost timidly said to his mate, but he froze at the growling snarl that came from the beta. He tried to swallow the sudden lump that appeared in his throat. “On the other hand, I think your father and the rest of your family can handle a panzaon on their own.”

Goku watched the man for a few seconds before resuming his position with a satisfied smirk and a flick of his tail. He nuzzled his pillow as he peered out a half closed eye at the rest of the saiyans in the room. He was daring any of them to try and take his good smelling pillow away, but no one was stupid enough to try. The other men quickly ran out the doors shutting them as they left. Tarble looked down as Goten gently tugged at his hand to get his attention.

“What’s a panzaon?” He asked with a mirror image of Kakarot’s own innocent look.

“A panzaon is a predator that lives in the jungles here. They’re very strong, fast, and are fairly resistant to ki attacks because of their thick hides.” The younger beta explained as he took a nervous look at the door.

“Why was everyone so worried?” Trunks responded confused. He had never seen anything make a saiyan look so scared, and he couldn't believe that an animal could do that.

“Because panzaon’s are one of the few actual threats to a saiyan on Vegetasei. Their fangs are coated with a poison that is lethal if you’re bitten. Not all of us are as strong as our family so panzaons are a very big deal even for us.” Tarble instinctively moved closer to his brother at the thought of the panzaon, and he knew Vegeta would be strong enough to fend it off.

“Trunks, what about Sushi,” Goten whispered with teary eyes. “What if the panzaon eats him?”

“We’ll go make sure Sushi is ok.” Trunks whispered back. “Your dad isn’t gonna do anything and mine can’t. We can bring Sushi back here. Come on, we can fly to my room from your dad’s.” 

The boys were quick to duck out of the balcony, and they took off to Vegeta's chambers just around a corner of the palace. Trunks forced open the door to the room to see Sushi still on the bed. The reptile lifted his head, and wagged his tail at the sight of the cubs.

“Sushi!” Goten shouted to the lizard-cat as he flew toward him. The lizard chirped happily and pounced toward the smallest saiyan landing on top of the boy and purring as the violet and black scaled head nuzzled him. “You’re okay!” 

“Come on, boy,” Trunks came up and coaxed the animal off his friend. He also got a nuzzle and lick from the large form. “We got to get you to a safer place. There's a panzaon running loose in the palace.” He gently pushed at the massive head, and the lizard got off the demi-saiyan. Goten opened the door wider, and the three left the room.

Sushi used his claws to grip the walls of the palace as the boys flew close to him. They had a bit of trouble rounding the corner when Trunks spotted some guards, but they managed to get to the balcony with no issues. They got back just as they heard Vegeta ask Tarble with a hint of unease in his words.

“Where are the boys?” Blue and black eyes met in alarm at the silence. They cracked open the bedroom door to peak out.

“Um…they were just here, but I'm sure they're fine.” Tarble gave the two fathers a smile, but the former prince didn't return it. Vegeta groaned as he covered his face with his palm. “Why? What's wrong?”

“You just told those two what a panzaon is, and you don't think they wouldn’t run off to see what it was?” He tensed again, but Kakarot growled in displeasure again. Vegeta looked down at his mate in disbelief. “Kakarot, you can't be serious. I have to find them.”

“Humph!” The spiky haired beta looked up with a frown. “If you'd use your brain, you'd know the boys are in my bedroom. They're fine, now lay back and shut up! The only way you're getting off this nest is if I toss you out!” 

Trunks and Goten rushed out of the room with strained smiles as they pushed the door closed to keep Sushi inside the room. The noise of the door closing made Vegeta sharply look at the cubs, and he studied them for a few seconds.

“What are you two doing?” The suspicion was thick in the dominant's voice. “I know those looks. Where did you go just now? And don't even think about lying to me!” He glared at the boys, and Goten and Trunks wilted under the stare.

“We went to get Sushi.” Goten mumbled as he stared down at his feet. His tail curled around one leg, and he bit his lip. “We didn't want the panzaon to eat him.” The boy looked like someone had just kicked his puppy.

“Sushi?” Goku asked as he looked at the cubs while sitting up on his elbows to look at his youngest. “Who is Sushi?” He tilted his head in confusion before he realized his youngest son must have found an animal on the planet to make his new pet.

“Well, Sushi-“ The younger demi-saiyan began, but a rattle from behind him stopped his words. The door behind Goten and Trunks burst open, and the boys let out a started shout as they were thrown to the floor. The large scaled form chirped at the sound of his name as he licked Goten.

“Sushi! Enough!” The lizard-cat had both cubs between his front legs as he crouched over them while purring and nuzzling the two. “Come on! That tickles!” Trunks shouted as he pushed at the reptile’s head. Sushi pulled back with one last lick to the lavender haired boy.

“What the hell!” Vegeta shouted as he quickly moved to place himself between Kakarot and the animal crouched over their sons. “Goten! Trunks! Get away from it!” He hissed as he powered up to Super Saiyan. The alpha glared at the reptile as a it finally noticed that there were others in the room besides his friends.

“Huh? But why? It's just Sushi.” Goten looked at the full blooded saiyan in confusion. He was scratching under the lizard’s chin. Purple eyes closed as a deep purr rumbled in his chest at the attention.

“THAT is a panzaon!” He shouted as he pointed at the reptile. His tail was stiff as he watched those sharp teeth so close to his two sons. Just one bite to either of them, and they would die from the toxic venom the panzaon had.

The door flew open just then only for Bardock, Raditz, and Gohan to see the boys under a massive reptile. It took a few seconds for the scope of the situation to fully register with the others, but once it did, chaos broke out.

Tarble and Gohan gasped, Bardock swore as he powered up, and Raditz let out an embarrassing shriek at the sight of the beast. The boys got nervous at the looks the adults were giving their pet, and Sushi growled at all the noise.

“SHUT UP!” Kakarot shouted over the noise. He glared at every single living thing in the room with a dark look on his face, and everyone winced at the anger in his voice. His was on his hands and knees with his tail fluffed up over his back and he snarled.

“The next person to so much as sneeze will get your tail ripped off, understand?!” Once the submissive received nods, he settled back down on his nest. “Now, perhaps we can discuss this calmly. As you can see, Sushi isn't doing anything to the boys other than licking them to death. So power down, all of you.”

It took a long time for the adults to power down, but they did lest they suffer Kakarot's wrath. Goten had wiggled out from under Sushi, and timidly moved closer to the plush throne his father was using to rule over the others. Trunks followed suit and sat beside their pet resuming his scratching to Sushi’s delight.

“Daddy, can we keep him? Sushi isn't gonna hurt anyone. Trunks and I will look after him and make sure he stays out of trouble. Please?” The smaller cub begged with wide eyes. Trunks also added with his own pleading look from his spot.

“No! No, no, no, no!” Bardock began before his son could answer. “That thing is dangerous, and will kill any saiyan that crossed its path! It either needs to go or be killed, not made to be a pet!”

“But Sushi’s been here for days, and he hasn't hurt anyone!” Trunks argued as he wrapped his arms around the smooth scaled neck. The violet lizard nuzzled his face along side with the cub's. He moved a paw to gently pull the boy closer so he could lay his head down on Trunks’ lap.

“It's been here for how long?!” Raditz asked in a slightly shrill voice unnerved that a dangerous animal had been so close while he had his guard down. His eyes had yet to leave the so far passive panzaon, and his tail lashed around behind him.

“Yes, he can stay.” Kakarot muttered as he pulled a pillow soaked in Vegeta's scent close to rest his head on. “He'll be a great guard…lizard. Just make sure the guards know so they won't cause a panic in the palace.”

“WHAT?!” The three pure blooded alpha saiyans all shouted at the same time while Gohan shook his head. Tarble looked at the teen in confusion as he kept one eye on Sushi. Gohan waved away the unasked question as he heavily sat on a chair nearby.

“Yeah! We can keep Sushi!” Goten and Trunks hugged the panzaon as they celebrated. The reptile chirped happily as the boys smoothed their hands over his scales. His sleek tail lightly thumped on the floor as it wagged.

“Kakarot! You can't be serious! They can't keep something like that in the palace!” Vegeta approached the edge of the round couch. His tail was still bushed up, and he glanced at the panzaon every few seconds.

“Vegeta, don't argue with me. Now, go make me some lunch.” The beta shooed the older male with a nonchalant look on his face. “Oh! Fix me some of that boar with the sage apple sauce and honey potatoes. Bring some mint chocolate chip pancakes as well. I'll be waiting right here for you!” He finished with a bright smile.

The former prince looked back at the boys which were still being smothered in affection by Sushi and his smiling mate. He tried to think of something else to say in order to convince Kakarot to have that creature removed, but in the end, he gave up. The alpha nodded at the request and walked towards the door not wanting to make the beta anymore upset.

Raditz and Bardock were still looking at Kakarot in disbelief. Vegeta snorted in amusement as he walked out the door. He could just faintly hear the hairball say something, and the former prince quickly left the area to get his mate lunch. He snickered as he heard a yelp from Raditz and a shout from the pregnant saiyan.

“Have fun dealing with Kakarot's temper, fur ball. Better you than me.”


	21. Chapter 21

“Kakarot, this is not a good idea. I really think you should stay in your rooms until after the baby is born. You look like you're about to drop your cub any minute.” Bardock huffed as he escorted his son to the beta's private garden. The submissive was waddling at this point, and he had a hand on his back to help with the strain caused by the baby. 

“Father, I'm sick of being inside. I want some fresh air!” Kakarot glared at his sire out of the corner of his eye as the two continued down the hall. “The doctor did say I need to get some exercise and spend some time outside. I'm just following his suggestions and trying to be a good tama to my cub.”

“I think he meant walking around in your room and going outside on your balcony not traipsing around the palace grounds.” The older saiyan lifted a hand to punch the bridge of his nose. He'd been trying to convince the beta to go back to his room for almost two hours now, but nothing has changed Kakarot's mind.

“But, father. I already told Vegeta to have a picnic ready for when we get there. It'd be a shame to not enjoy the food while it's fresh.” He gave a sweet smile up to the larger male. Just the thought of having a meal while being outside after the last five weeks inside put a bounce in the way Kakarot was walking. 

“I still don't know how you managed to turn Vegeta into your servant.” Bardock rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. At first, it was amusing, but now…it was almost sad at how quickly Vegeta would run off whenever the submissive ordered him to do something.

“He just wants to prove himself, father. He has done everything I have asked for, and then some. He really wants to be with me, and I admire that. Vegeta has been very well behaved in his efforts to please me.” Kakarot smiled at the memory of the former prince massaging his lower back and feet the other day. Maybe there would be a repeat this afternoon, his back was killing him.

“You sound like he's a well behaved pet rather than a potential mate, cub. I think you're enjoying torturing him. I never knew you had a sadistic streak in you, but then again you are my son.” A smirk grew on the dominant's face as he looked down at Kakarot. He lifted a brow when the beta sputtered.

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” Kakarot muttered once he regained his composure. He crossed his arms and looked away from the alpha's direction. “Vegeta is only doing what I ask because he wants to, not because I force him to do it.”

“Oh, really? So you didn't ask Vegeta for…what was it…oh! Vanilla ice cream with hot sauce, grape gummy bears, whipped cream, and smoked salmon, and didn't you almost cry when he couldn't find the vanilla ice cream yesterday? I think most of those things come from Earth.” Bardock chuckled at the flush that grew on the submissive's face, and that earned him a punch to the arm that forced him against the wall. 

“Shut up, father! I did not cry, and I don't torture him! I am the tama to his cub, and he wants to keep me happy!” Kakarot began to stomp away from the laughing father, but the waddle he was forced to do ruined the effect.

The older man chuckled even more as he jogged to cut the distance between him and his son. He wrapped an arm around the beta's shoulders and ruffled messy spikes. 

“I'm just teasing, cub.” He showed his elongated teeth in a large grin. “I honestly think he has proven that he his serious about trying to win you over. Lowering himself to do whatever little thing your heart desires, I'm not sure I could do something like that. You don't make it any easier on the poor guy.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” The question was slightly harsh, and Bardock held up a hand in surrender.

“You're putting out pheromones, remember? That drives every alpha around you crazy except your family. Vegeta only has a partial bond with you, and when you demand to lay all over him, that messes with his head. If I were him, I might have jumped my mate by now. His self restraint is amazing, if you weren’t in your current state I’d wonder if he was actually a man because I don’t know a single alpha that would have lasted this long.” Bardock gave his son a look.

Kakarot looked at the older saiyan with wide eyes. He had no idea that he was making things so hard for the former prince. While it was true that the beta wanted to exploit the attention and pampering from Vegeta, he didn't want to make the other more uncomfortable.

“Don't worry, son. Vegeta understands that this isn't intentional, but you could make it a bit easier on him. Don’t force him to stay away all the time. I loathe admitting it, but I don't think he'll hurt you son.” Bardock pulled the two to a stop in front of a window. He looked out at the red sky as he waited for a response.

“I didn't realize.” The words were soft spoken. “I'm so use to being around you and Raditz that I had forgotten.”

“What are you doing here slug?!” The raspy voice of Vegeta made the father and son freeze. The nearby window readily carried the conversation to them from the nearby garden. Bardock pushed the two of them into the archway to stay out of sight from Turles and Vegeta.

“Careful, Vegeta, talking to your betters like that, you should know better.” The mocking tone was unmistakable, and an audible growl was heard from the former prince. 

“Oooh so scary, I’m shaking in my boots.” 

“What do you want Turles? This is Kakarot's garden and you aren't supposed to be here mongrel.” 

“Oh I'm just enjoying your misery Vegeta. I just thought I’d offer you some company and all that considering the saying. The great prince of the saiyans reduced to a servant and ridiculed by your own father and people for how you disgraced the savior of our race. You know you and your father put on quite the show, I think the whole palace heard that little spat. First the message I delivered on Earth and then that, I must be lucky to keep seeing you getting torn down a few pegs. I hear Kakarot gave you quite the dressing down too from the rumors floating around, I wish I could have seen that.” The chuckle that came from the dark skinned saiyan made another growl rumble from the former prince.

“I'm beginning to regret not killing you back on Earth. I could care less what my father thinks or my about title or rank. Kakarot’s opinion is the only one I give a damn about and as far I'm concerned he is content to give me a chance,” Vegeta stated in a matter of fact tone.

“Please, he shouldn't be wasting his time with you. He could have his pick of any real alpha any time he wants, so why would he honestly give you, the bastard who knocked him up and abandoned him another chance? You're just a convenient source of slave labor to him.” 

“Care to repeat that?” 

“Have I touched a nerve?” Turles practically purred in amusement. “Oh the things I'd do to that gorgeous beta if he was mine. I'd have never made a stupid mistake like you did vegeta. He smells divine, I can only imagine what he'd be like in bed. I bet he's so needy and responsive to just the slightest touch. I would love to show him what a real alpha is like.”

"You're beginning to sound like a broken record, no wonder you don't have a mate." The former prince sneered.

“Tell me Vegeta, how'd it feel to sleep with him? Was he tight like a virgin? Did that hole of his just beg to be filled with your dick? Did he beg for more? I bet he was a screamer, wasn't he? I can only imagine how amazing it felt to pin him down and claim him. Maybe I should give it a try since he's still available?” 

“Shut your damn mouth Turles! Even if he doesn't want me I can damn well say he'd never consider a depraved bastard like you.” Vegeta snarled with an enraged hiss. 

“You did him first, oh mighty prince.” There was the sound of a body slamming into a wall. 

“Listen well Turles, because I hate repeating myself. Kakarot may not ever forgive me or choose me as a mate and that's his right for what I did to him. I will accept whatever his judgment is. But I swear by the gods, even if he never forgives me if you so much as go near him I will end you, you vile piece is garbage.” 

“Was that a threat?” Turles asked darkly. 

“It’s a promise.” Vegeta hissed back. “Now get out.”

“Humph.” The space pirate snorted. The sounds to footsteps echoed in the hall for just a few minutes, but then they stopped. “You know…I'm curious about something, Vegeta. I know how particular you are when it comes to your partners and what you consider as yours, so why do you insist on waiting for someone like Kakarot after he has been used?”

Bardock stiffened at those words. He bared his teeth in a silent snarl, and he was almost shaking with desire to rush out there and rip the pirate’s limbs off. However, the subtle trembling of the submissive behind him kept him rooted to the spot.

“What the hell are you going on about?” Vegeta hissed.

“Spin it however you want, he’s already got cubs. He almost lost yours after getting to the planet. I'm amazed that you are going through this much trouble for someone the old you would consider damaged goods and unworthy of someone of your status. He must be one good lay if you are willing to put up with everything he's making you do. Or was it that he was the only beta in existence at the time, and now you're just trying to save face?”

The beta froze where he stood behind his father. He gripped one of the shoulder straps of Bardock's armor as he squeezed his eyes shut. He shuddered as he remembered the vile touches he experienced all those years ago, and the vulgar words Turles was saying didn't help Kakarot's ability to push those thoughts out of his mind.

The sound of a body impacting the wall once again had Kakarot flinching closer to the alpha in front of him. His tail was coiled around one of his own legs as he continued to listen. Both father and son had to strain their ears to listen what Vegeta had to say in response.

“You open your mouth one more time, and I'll rip your tongue out!” The shorter alpha hissed to the other. “Kakarot is not damaged goods! Everything that he has suffered through only proves how strong he is! And I'm not worthy of him, no one on this planet is! I'm not putting up with anything! I am doing this of my own free will to prove to Kakarot that I will not betray his trust again!” Vegeta shoved Turles against the wall a third time making small bits of rubble fall to the floor inside near Bardock and his son.

“If I hear of you or anyone else saying anything different, you won't have to worry about Bardock getting wind of it. There won't be enough left for him to do anything to.” There was the sound of a fist burying itself in soft flesh, and the sound of someone fall in to their knees as they tried to get air back in. “Leave before I kill you.” 

Bardock looked around the corner to see the space pirate stumble off with a glare and an arm wrapped around his middle and blood trickling from the side of his mouth. The look on his face promised retribution, but he wasn't powerful enough for to cause significant harm. Once Turles was gone, the older saiyan looked back to his son.

Kakarot was starting at the floor with his arms and tail wrapped around himself. His hands clutched the loose gray fabric of his kimono top, and the alpha could see his frame was trembling. The black spikes of his bangs covered his face from view and sniffles could be faintly heard.

Bardock looked at the beta with a pained look in his eyes, at a loss of what to do. The submissive looked like he was about to bolt back to his room, but the concerned father gently wrapped an arm around shaking shoulders. Kakarot never looked up as he was guided to the garden where Vegeta was attempting to finish setting up the picnic while calming down.

“Vegeta…” The former prince looked up at the sound of his name, but the sight of a shaken beta and a frowning alpha had him scowling. It didn't take him long to figure out that Kakarot and Bardock heard the exchange he had with the space pirate.

“Damn bastard.” The younger dominant muttered under his breath. “…rip his throat…feed….tail…Sushi…” Vegeta clinched his hands into fists as he ranted to himself. When Bardock cleared his throat, he snapped out of his murderous thoughts.

Vegeta walked up to the pair, and gently rested his hand on the submissive's back. The two alphas guided him to the blanket and a small pile of pillows under Kakarot's favorite tree. As soon as the former prince’s scent registered in the beta's mind, Kakarot latched onto Vegeta's chest and buried his face in his neck.

Vegeta immediately started to purr in an effort to calm his mate.

“It’s alright, Kakarot.” Vegeta said quietly as his arms circled the distraught beta. “He won’t be coming back. We can feed him to the boys’ pet if you like. I doubt my father would mind.” Bardock managed a weak chuckle as he ran his hand through his son’s hair.

Before long Kakarot drifted off into an exhausted sleep clutching tightly to Vegeta as they settled into the pillows to wait.

“That bastard just had to ruin things.” Vegeta growled out lowly. “I’m sorry he had to hear that.”

“It’s not your fault Vegeta.” Bardock growled back. “I wish it had been me he said it to. I’ve been trying to kill that bastard since he got here. I don’t like his obsession with Kakarot. Every time I close in on him he slips away like a damned snake.”

“Unfortunately he’s not completely stupid it seems.”

“Vegeta, you are aware that if you ever do anything like that to my son again, I’ll kill you and no one will ever find your body.” The older saiyan gave the younger dominant a look that promised a vast amount of pain. Vegeta gave a rueful smile as he met Bardock's eyes.

“If Kakarot asked, I’d let you. I won't even flinch.” The former prince and the former planet purger watched each other for a few long minutes before nodding simultaneously. The two were silent as they watched the submissive in Vegeta's arms. 

“Hmm. I'll hold you to that, Vegeta.” The taller man studied the alpha holding his youngest in a protective embrace. His eyes soften just the barest amount at the sight of the utter devotion Vegeta had for Kakarot. “You have really surprised me, you know.”

“Hm? What do you mean?” The younger dominant asked as he looked up. His hand was threaded through the beta's hair and his other arm held Kakarot close to him from where he was sitting on the alpha's lap.

“What you are going through to win him back. I know Kakarot's not making it easy for you, but you've done everything without the slightest bit of annoyance or complaining. You've just about bent over backwards to please him.” Bardock nodded to the slumbering submissive.

“I'd do whatever he asks of me. No matter how petty or ridiculous his requests. He means everything to me, Bardock. I just wish I saw it sooner.” Vegeta had a pained look as he remembered that fateful day. “He deserves so much better then me, but I hope beyond hope that he forgives me. I suppose that's selfish of me, but I can't help myself.”

The sorrowful expression on the former prince’s face seemed to solidify something that had been brewing in the back of the older warrior. Bardock sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. 

“After he told me what happened, I still had this small hope that the two of you could work things out.” Vegeta looked up in shock. “He still loves you, and I could see it in his face every time he so much as thought of you no matter how scared he said he was. I can see the same in you. Vegeta, in all my life among our people, I have never seen a pair more suited for each other than you and Kakarot. Not just in terms of strength, but in personality as well. You complete each other.”

Bardock moved a bit closer and glared in the former prince’s eyes. Vegeta swallowed hard at the sight.

“I will allow you to do whatever you need to for Kakarot to forgive you, but remember this. If you do something to screw it up again, I will not allow you time to regret it. Watch over him, princeling. You are his main protector in my eyes from now on, understand?” Bardock spoke with the utmost seriousness the younger saiyan had ever heard from anyone, and he nodded his head.  
Silence came over them as Kakarot still slept on oblivious.

Bardock frowned as he thought back to some of the things the space pirate said. There was no way he could have know that Kakarot had been taken advantage of like he implied, and there was no mistaking that Turles somehow found out.

“What I want to know is how does Turles know as much about Kakarot as he does?” Vegeta looked up at the other alpha. “Only your family and mine save for the cubs and possibly Gohan know that Kakarot was…forced.” Bardock spat the word and its vile taste. “The only thing that is common knowledge is the pack he ran into when he got here.”

Vegeta furrowed his brow as he also thought about the conversation, if you could call it that. How did the dark skinned saiyan find that out? The only time... 

“That son of a bitch!” Vegeta seethed quietly with his chestnut tail lashing behind him. Bardock lifted an eyebrow so he could hear the former prince’s epiphany. “He's been spying on us! He must've overheard Kakarot yelling at me the day after I got here! That's the only time he could've heard it! Heard about it my ass, the smug bastard was there for it.”

“That's it! The next time either of us see him, kill him!” Bardock snarled. “He's been sniffing around Kakarot long enough!” Vegeta grinned in such a fashion that Bardock could have sworn he was looking at the Vegeta who destroyed planets.

“Oh I’ll kill him alright, and drag whatever spirit is left behind from otherworld and obliterate it.”


	22. Chapter 22

Goku opened his eyes to darkness. The submissive could feel a mattress under his back, but the plushness wasn't at all comfortable. He didn't know why he felt so uneasy all of a sudden. That changed the second he realized he couldn't see, speak, or move his limbs, and he felt the beginnings of panic seep into his bones once he realized he was nude. He pulled at whatever was restraining his arms and legs, but all he got was the rattle of chains.

Muffled whimpers and whines poured out of the beta's throat as he struggled to get free from the chains, but he only succeeded in wearing himself out. After what felt like an eternity, Goku sank into the bed breathing heavily through his nose. Why couldn’t he break them? He didn’t feel any drugs in his system, so why wouldn’t the chains break.

A faint rustling sound met his ears, and the beta nearly held his breath as he strained his senses to pick up on that sound again. He cocked his head when the rustling was heard again from a different corner of the space he was in. Goku's heart pounded in his chest as more and more sounds came from all around him.

“Looks like our pet has woken up.” The deep voice was right beside his ear, and the suddenness of it made the submissive flinch away. “Aww, don't be like that. We're just here to play like last time. Remember that? You felt so good that night, and we want a repeat.”

The blood drained from Goku's face as he recognized the voice. It was from one of his rapists, the only one that spoke back on Earth. The beta's eyes were open behind the blindfold he had on his face, and tears were gathering in his eyes. A terrified whine escaped his throat as Kakarot tried to get as far from the voice as possible. No, no, no! How did they find me?! They can’t be here!

“Now, now. None of that. The night has only begun, we even brought a few of your new saiyan friends to play.” Rough hands gripped his left arm and leg and harshly yanked the submissive back in his previous position making him let out a muffled shout. The manacles around his wrists and ankles dug into his skin. Blood dripped down his right arm from a small cut caused by the metal.

A warm tongue lapped the blood on his other side signaling that there was more than one person here with him, and Goku finally realized that all of his rapists had found him. More hands began to touch him, and the beta jerked his limbs in their restraints trying to dislodge those vile touches. He kept his tail under his back to prevent anyone from touching the sensitive appendage.

One male was lapping at a nipple on his chest while another was licking along his neck. The man that had spoken had moved from the beta's side to allow others to feast on the chained down saiyan. He lost count on how many different touches there were as they all blended together. Goku shook his head in denial over what was happening to him.

Where was his father and brother? Where was Vegeta?! Why weren't they here?! How could they let this happen to him again?! He screamed their names as he called out for them to save him. Tears were cascading down his cheeks as this point and Goku froze as the revolting familiar scaled hand brushed away tears on his face.

“Don’t cry, pet. I know it's hard to wait, but I'll make you feel good soon.” A weight moved to straddle his waist, and that pinned Goku down so he couldn't move the fraction he could before. It was only at the moment when scaled hands ran from his shoulders down to the tops of his hips that he noticed that his belly was flat.

Goku's eyes widened even more as he pulled his arms harsher than before to see if his stomach was as flat as he thought it was. The metal of the chains creaked in his ears as he pulled against them. Little cries came as he strained to feel for his cub hoping that it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. 

“What's got you worked up now?” The deep voice from on top of the submissive broke his attention, but he still tried to reach for his stomach. “Oh, the brat? I got rid of him. We can't have anything like that ruining our time together, can we?” The man said. He pulled the gag out just before he crushed his mouth to Goku's.

Got…rid..?

Goku was numb for a moment before he bit down on the tongue that was filling his mouth in a white-hot fury. Blood flooded his mouth as his assaulter pulled back with a growl. The saiyan coughed as he spit the fluid out of his mouth with a vicious snarl to shout at the man about his baby, but a slap to his face made him cry out instead.

“How dare you!” Goku snarled and snapped blindly at the hand again. “I’ll kill you! What did you do to my cub?!” The chains rattled from his struggles but didn’t give.

“You shouldn't have done that.” The gag was replaced and tightened so much that it cut into the corners of the submissive's mouth. The man above him moved to kneel in between Goku's legs. “I was going to make this easy for you, but now…I've changed my mind.”

The beta shouted behind his gag as hands helped the man to spread his legs further apart. Goku twisted his hips once he realized where this was going. His cheeks became wet again as tears streamed from behind the blindfold. Another slap rained down on him, and an ironclad hold captured his hips.

“You should've thought of that before you bit me, slut.” A harsh whisper sounded in his ear as he felt something large at the entrance to his body. ‘Someone make it stop, please! I can’t do this again!’ “If you thought last time was bad, then you are going to think this is Hell. No one will even look at you when I'm through with you. Not your father, your sons, not even Vegeta. Don’t worry though, I’ll be sure to give you another cub before I leave.”

Goku screamed as he fought to get away.

“Kakarot! Wake up!”

Black eyes snapped open to see Vegeta looking down at him with a worried expression. Frantically Goku’s hands and tail felt at his stomach. The cub was still there, and he could feel that spark of ki under his heart strongly as he curled around his stomach and cried in relief. Oh sweet Dende, it was all a horrible dream. It didn’t happen. This was his room in the palace and he was….on the floor?

“Kakarot!” The concerned voice snapped Goku from his thoughts. Looking up from his hunched position, he could see the alpha that was still with him. The former prince had a hand halfway stretched out for the beta.

“Vegeta?” Where were the boys and his father? Why weren’t they here? Something in Vegeta’s eyes softened and Goku could see relief in them.

“You don’t remember do you?” He said calmly coming as close as the shivering beta would let him. “You fell asleep outside. We ate your picnic after you woke up, and you asked me to bring you to bed. Your father is on duty tonight and I stayed to watch over you? The boys are with Tarble and Sushi tonight since you needed rest.”

Slowly it all started to come back to him. Turles’ words in the garden, Vegeta holding him until he calmed down, the boys joining them outside for dinner before he asked Vegeta to take him upstairs to bed.

“Are you alright now?” Vegeta asked quietly. “Do you need anything?” Goku shook his head before burying his hands in hair.

“It was them, I can still feel them touching me Geta. It...it was just like last time. Th-they got-” He couldn’t even get the words out before he sobbed and held his stomach protectively. Gently he could feel Vegeta’s hand rubbing his scalp, and he leaned into the alpha drinking in the familiar scent of cloves that promised him and his cub safety.

“Kakarot, I promise no one is going to hurt our cub.” Vegeta whispered softly as his arm came around his mate’s shoulders. “And I swear if anyone ever touches you like that against your will ever again, I’ll kill them. Granted that’s if your father doesn’t beat me to them. I heard about that one idiot that tried to kiss you. Nappa thinks they may have found a toe the other day but I really doubt it.” Goku looked up at him with a confused glance. Vegeta realized he was getting away from his point and frowned.

“God… I’m terrible with words, what I’m trying to tell you Kakarot, is that while I have breath in my body I will do everything in my power to keep you from ever going through something like that again. No one will ever touch you like that again without your consent.” The steely look in the dominant's eyes eased the majority of Goku's fears.

“Come on, Kakarot. Let's get you back in bed. You need the rest.” Vegeta gently guided the submissive back into bed and pulled the blankets back up over him. The alpha cupped Goku's cheek and rubbed a thumb under his right eye with a tender expression. “I'll be right outside the door if you need me.”

A sudden rush of fear welled up in the beta's heart as soon as he saw Vegeta turn away from him. All he could think about right then was that he didn't want to be alone anymore. Before he knew it, Goku was reaching out.

“Vegeta!” The older man paused as the beta grabbed his wrist. He looked back at the pregnant saiyan in the bed. “Stay.”

“What?” The former prince asked with slightly wide eyes. His heart pounded as he watched the submissive bite his lower lip before meeting his eyes. Goku gave a small tug to the wrist still in his hand.

“Please…stay with me.” His eyes stung as tears pooled in them. The younger saiyan swallowed the sobs that were bubbling in his chest. “Don't…don't leave me alone.” He bowed his head to hide the insecurity he was feeling. “Please.”

“Alright, I'll stay. I'll do whatever you need or want me to do, Kakarot.” The slack between the two grew as Vegeta moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Goku moved further to the middle of the bed as the former prince got under the bed covers. 

As soon as the alpha was settled, Goku plastered himself to his side. It was a bit difficult with the large swell of his belly, but the beta found a way to do so. He was soon wrapped up in Vegeta's arms with his head tucked under the dominant's chin. The submissive held onto the former prince’s bare torso as he took a deep breath and let it out shakily. 

Vegeta looked at the top of Goku's head with a frown when he felt the tight grip the younger man had on him. The former prince started to purr as he rubbed the beta's back to sooth him. He hated that his mate was still suffering from that horrible night all those years ago.

Goku whimpered as tears started to slide down his cheeks. He tightened his grip to get even closer to Vegeta. His body was trembling, and his tail had yet to move from where his cub rested in his body. He could not bring himself to remove his tail, he still felt like his baby could disappear at any moment.

The alpha wrapped his chestnut tail around the beta's waist and an arm around his shoulders. Vegeta's free hand was carding through Goku's hair as he continued to purr. He hoped the soothing sound would lull his mate into a dreamless sleep.

“Shhh, Kakarot. I'm right here.” Vegeta did his best to completely envelope the now sobbing submissive in his embrace. “You're safe. I'd have to be dead before I would allow anything or anyone to harm you or our son.” 

“Why…?” The whisper was almost too soft to hear. Each word was spoken through hiccuping breaths. “Why are you still here? Why do you refuse to leave? How can you want to be with me?”

“I thought that was obvious, Kakarot. It's because I love you.” The beta stopped breathing for a moment. Vegeta just smiled into black spikes as he tightened his embrace on the beta. “I love you and I think I have for years, it just took me awhile longer than either of us liked to figure that out.”

The submissive just froze with his eyes wide open, and his heart racing in his chest. It was the first time he had heard the proud man admit that to him. A warm feeling pushed all the terror away, and he tilted his head to look at Vegeta. Tears were still coming, but they were slowing down.

Vegeta chuckled at the wide-eyed look he got from the beta, and he pressed a kiss to Goku's forehead. The former prince nuzzled his face along side the younger saiyan's with a warm smile as he purred a bit louder.

“You look like you don't believe me, Kakarot.” The alpha brushed the tears away from his mate’s cheeks. “But it's the truth. There is nothing that could make me not want to be with you. You are kind, caring, strong, and just about everything else I could ever ask for in a mate. I don't think I could live your life and come out like you have. That you have remained sane without the presence of an alpha in your life…it speaks of your fortitude. You are a gift from Kalious, and I was a fool not to see it before.”

Goku had stopped crying at those words and was now looking at the smooth patch of skin on Vegeta's neck. Everything that the dominant has said made that warm feeling burn brighter and hotter. He felt like that day by the lake when he was claimed by Vegeta, and the hope of a new, better existence was within reach.

Without even thinking, the submissive quickly bit down on the junction of the former prince’s right shoulder and neck. Blood quickly filled his mouth, and Goku purred at the spicy taste. He could feel the bond between them solidify into something unbreakable.

Vegeta gritted his teeth with a hiss at the sudden pain, but when he felt Goku run his tongue over the bite mark, he felt something like lightning run up his spine. The sensation of his heart matching his mate’s knocked the breath out of his lungs, and the alpha stared at the ceiling with wide eyes.

Once the wound was clean from blood, the beta rested his head on Vegeta's shoulder with a warm smile on his face. His eyes were growing heavy with the roller coaster of emotions he had experienced in less than an hour, but there was something he wanted to say to his new mate.

“I love you too, Geta. Thank you for staying with me.” He entwined himself with the dominant as much as he could as he drifted off to sleep within the protective embrace of the former prince. Goku had never felt so complete in his life.

Vegeta blinked at the whispered words, and a huge grin grew on his face. He felt so happy that his mate had completed the bond between them. The alpha buried his face in black spikes and took a big inhale, his purr rumbling louder as he nuzzled into his mate. The sweet cinnamon like scent imprinted in his mind and heart as he also drifted off.

Over the course of the night, Vegeta's and Goku's life force melded together. The bond between grew from a few dull threads to a bright tether that could rival the twin suns of Vegetasei. The saiyans slept as the rest of the changes caused by the coming together of soul mates settled.

The light of the crescent moon gently caressed the new mates before vanishing behind dark storm clouds bringing new rain to Vegetasei.


	23. Chapter 23

“A festival?” Gohan asked with a lifted brow as he and the younger prince walked down to he hall to Goku's room. He tugged at the black and blue armor he was wearing. The half saiyan hadn't had the chance to get something else for his wardrobe other than the armor and black body suit since his arrival.

“That's right!” Tarble chirped with a bright smile. He was always eager to share information with others, and he started to elaborate a bit. “The Kalious Festival! He is our God of Death and Battle. He is the king of the other gods in our religion and the master of the two Suns.”

“Huh…I didn't even think that saiyans would have a religion.” The young alpha thought out loud. “Although I don't know why I'm surprised. It makes sense that we would have some type of religion. Can you tell me more?” He had an excited look on his face at the thought of learning something new.

“Of course!” A slight blush spread over the beta's face as Gohan's full attention was placed on him. Tarble twisted his tail behind him as he cleared his throat a couple of times to get his racing heart back under control.

“We only have two major gods with quite a few minor ones. Our most popular God is Kalious. Kalious is the king of the gods, and he lives between the two Suns controlling their path. He protects our warriors while they fight, and guides the souls of those that fall in battle to the afterlife. He was the first Super Saiyan to appear. Kalious is very strong, and legend says that he was the one to create the Suns out of his own ki so they could warm the planet his wife's children live on.” Gohan nodded, fascinated as Tarble continued his explanation.

“His wife is Tarro, the Moon Goddess. She is the Goddess of Life and Love. Tarro is considered the mother of the saiyan race, and she protects us every day from her palace on our moon. It is said that her love for us is what causes us to transform on the full moon. What is amusing is that Tarro is more viscous than her husband in a fight. Legends say they battled 7 days and nights before she finally submit to Kalious and mated with him.”

“Is that why saiyans tend to fight so much?”

“Not really, fighting is just part of who we are, there isn’t really a reason for it. We do believe that mates should prove themselves and that normally translates into a fight of some sort. It’s more of a personal preference to be honest. My tama didn’t fight with my father, but father did battle in a tournament at another festival to prove he was strong enough to mate with him.”

“So what about the other gods, you said there were minor ones?”

“We have lots of others like Celeria, goddess of the stars and travel, Zuccno, god of knowledge, and Parslo, god of time. Kalious and Tarro are the only ones that each saiyan worships, but each of the lesser gods have their own following as well. Personally, Zuccno and Tarro are my favorites!” The shorter of the pair finished with a grin.

“So you like the god of Knowledge?” Gohan said with a grin. “Sounds like a guy I could follow. I certainly studied a lot back on earth, I was getting ready for university before we came here.”

“Oh you’re a scholar!” Tarble responded in excitement. “Your father did tell me you studied but he didn’t say you were so dedicated.” Gohan scratched the back of his head nervously.

“Well, Dad never was much one for formal schooling. He was always very proud of me though and let me study since I was happy.” He frowned not wanting to bring Chi-chi into the conversation. He liked studying true, but he might have studied a bit less without her psychotic obsession to drive him to it. 

“So what goes on during the festival?” Gohan questioned completely engrossed in Tarble and desperate to change the subject. 

“Well, there's food of course, games, and events to test various skills. I think there's dancing and major battle reenactments but those aren’t done for every festival. I remember my first Kalious Festival my father did the Dance of Two Suns that tells the story of their creation. It was amazing how much control he had over his ki to do it. I heard my grandparents danced the story of Kalious and Tarro’s mating but I’ve never seen it done. It’s a rare privilege done by mated couples traditionally, usually in the royal family. Finally, there's a tournament that will last for most of the day. There’s no killing allowed in the tournament or ki attacks either, just pure battle to honor Kalious. Usually, the winner of the tournament will receive a favor from the royal family. The festival will be very big if Kakarot delivers the cub before then.” The prince commented offhandedly.

“I don't think I've ever seen so many people excited for one birth. I haven't been able to go anywhere without someone asking me about how Dad’s condition.” The teen ran a hand through his hair at the thought.

“You are easier to approach then your grandfather and uncle.” Tarble giggled at the taller man’s misfortune. “Ever since that incident with an alpha trying to force a kiss from Kakarot, other saiyans are completely terrified of Bardock. No one wants to risk getting on his bad side. We still don’t know what your grandfather actually did to the guy.”

The pair stopped in front of the door to the pregnant saiyan’s chambers. When there was no answer at the knock the teen gave, two sets of black eyes glanced at each other in concern. They entered the room to see nothing out of place, and Tarble walked over to see if Vegeta was awake in Goten's room.

Gohan went over to the beta's bedroom only to stare in disbelief at the sight on his father's bed. Goku was sleeping on his side with his head resting over Vegeta's heart. The former prince had his face partially buried in black spikes with an arm and his tail wrapped protectively around the submissive.

When Goku twitched in his sleep, the other man would tighten his hold on his mate. The two seemed to be wrapped around the other so much that it was hard to tell which limb was whose under the blankets.

The teen’s mouth worked open and closed for a second before his anger came to the forefront of his mind. He glared at the older dominant that he had yet to forgive for his treatment to his gentle father. His teeth were bared in a snarl and he just about marched over to the sleeping pair to drag Vegeta out of the bed.

“Did you find them Go-Oh my.” Tarble said behind Gohan. The demi-saiyan growled with his fangs bared and strode towards the bed. Vegeta and Goku’s eyes opened a second before Gohan’s hand wrapped around Vegeta’s neck and drug him from the bed slamming him into the wall with a feral snarl.

“How dare you! Haven’t you done enough, Vegeta!” Gohan shouted.

“Gohan, what are you doing?!” Goku snapped confused and concerned. Raditz and Bardock ran past a shocked Tarble to see the oldest demi-saiyan ready to rip out Vegeta’s throat. Behind them Goten and Trunks peeked into the room uncertainly.

“What were you doing in my father’s bed?!” Gohan snapped slamming the older saiyan into the wall again. The former prince gritted his teeth when the teen's fingers dug into the still fresh bite on his neck.

“He was where?!” Raditz shouted with a snarl. He stalked over to where his nephew had the shorter alpha pinned against the wall. He looked about to be ready to strike Vegeta who was trying to pry the hand off his throat so he could breathe.

“Gohan, that’s enough!” Goku shouted angrily. The amount of rage and volume in his voice had everyone wincing. The beta glared at his son, and he snarled at the demi-saiyan. Gohan glared right back at his father.

“Dad, he-”

“Put. Vegeta. Down. Now.” His voice was like steel and ice. Goku glared at both his brother and eldest son. The tall submissive had gotten to his feet at this point, and marched as best he could up to Gohan with his teeth bared.

Vegeta was released, and he gripped his neck to massage the bruising skin. The alpha coughed a few times as he watched his mate sneer at some of his family. He couldn't help the small smirk that grew on his face, for the first time in awhile someone was defending him for a change. The former prince moved to stand behind the livid beta content to let his mate handle things.

Bardock wisely stayed off to the side with Tarble and the boys. He could tell his youngest was in a bad mood from being woken up earlier then he was ready, and the oldest dominant knew this wasn't going to be pleasant. He sighed as he covered his face with one of his hands. He figured they would make up soon but he wasn’t expecting it to be over night, what the hell happened while he was on duty?

“Kakarot, he is not-”

“Raditz! Enough! I've had it with both of you harassing MY mate!” Goku snarled. He fisted his hands in Raditz's and Gohan's black hair and shoved the two on their knees. “This ends now! Understand?!”

“Mate?! Kakarot-! Ow! Let go!” The burly alpha's protest was cut off when Goku twisted the hand gripping his hair. His hands went to the beta's wrist to relieve some of the tension. “Damn it! I don't want to be bald like Nappa! Let go, Kakarot!”

In an uncharacteristic act, the pregnant saiyan slammed Raditz's and Gohan's heads together before releasing them. The two held their abused skulls as they cowered under Goku's wrath. It was then that the alphas realized the severity of their actions.

The submissive towered over the two dominants with his arms crossed over his chest and his fluffed up tail lashing behind him. 

“I appreciate that both of you want to protect me, but this has to stop. Ever since he's been here, Vegeta has done nothing to cause me harm. Get that through your heads! Both of you are acting like someone has stolen your favorite toy! I knew both of you would object to this! Neither of you control my life, so stop acting like you do!” Goku paused for a moment before a sweet yet dangerous smile covered his face.

“I'm sorry. I didn't realize how the relationship between me and Geta was any of your business, oh wait it’s not! Yes, I did complete the bond. Yes, I have forgiven him. Yes, I allowed him in my bed. No, you don't have any say in it! No, you will not antagonize Vegeta anymore!” Raditz opened his mouth in shock. Behind his brother Vegeta stood with his own matching bite mark on his neck clear for all to see.

“What!” Raditz shouted in shock, Goku continued over his brother’s objections.

“Do you think I'm stupid, brother?! I've known that you have done everything in your power to make things more difficult on Geta when I have him do something for me. I allowed it at first to see if he was sincere, but now you're starting to go too far! I mean, giving Sushi the last of the stone boar meat? That's unacceptable.” The former prince glared at the long haired saiyan.

“That was your doing?!” Vegeta bristled angrily.

When he had returned to Kakarot's room without the pork roast that night, the beta had yelled for hours as he fired small ki blasts that he could form at the time. The former prince had singed fur on his tail before Bardock had come to his rescue. 

It had taken almost a full week for all the fur to grow back.

“It is my choice if I allow Vegeta back into my life and bed, and I expect all of you to respect my decision and trust my judgment! Father has done so, but apparently his word and mine are not enough for the two of you. I thought my son and brother would be happy for me when I mated someone I loved.”

“Dad I don’t want you to get hurt again! You’ve seen what Vegeta is like. He’s the reason all of this even happened!” Gohan shouted equal parts concerned and angry. “I’m not going to forgive him for that.”

“Gohan I’m grateful that you want to protect me but this is my choice, not yours. Vegeta is the father of my cub, my alpha, my mate! I can’t make you forgive him for what he did but you will treat him with respect from now on, or so help me both of you will be my sparring partners after my cub is born.” He glared at his brother and son. 

“And trust me, I won't be holding back.” Vegeta held back a snicker when the kneeling saiyans paled at the thought.

Goku started to the door to get breakfast, but a sudden cramp caused him to double over. Multiple inquiries filled with concern sounded around him as the beta hugged his swollen belly. Vegeta was the first one to stand next to him when the faint sound of something dripping silenced the room.

“Daddy, did you have an accident?” Goten asked confused by the smell in the room.

Goku stared at the pink tinted puddle on the floor with blank eyes before looking up at his mate.

“Geta…I think it's time.”


	24. Chapter 24

Vegeta remained frozen for a couple of seconds before he scooped Kakarot up in his arms. He immediately began to rush towards the medical wing with the rest of the group following his trail. The alpha was a blur as he flew past guards and down halls paying no heed to the shouts that sounded as he passed.

Kakarot had wrapped his arms around Vegeta's neck with his face buried in the crook of his shoulder. He let out a whimper as a contraction washed over his body, and his hands gripped his mate's shoulders as he panted before gritting his teeth in pain. 

The former prince was concerned as he picked up on the labored breathing that started faster then he expected. He could vaguely remember when his tama went into labor with Tarble, and Kakarot's was going faster than that one.

“Hang on, Kakarot. We're almost there.” His tail came around to brush over the side of the submissive's face. All he got was a whine in response, and the dominant increased his speed again as soon as he saw the door to the medical wing.

A doctor just happened to be walking out the door, and he was startled at the sight of the former prince carrying the savior of the saiyan race. Luckily, the man wasn't stupid, and he immediately moved to hold the door open for the pair as he shouted to alert the rest of the staff. As soon as the alpha touched down on the floor, he was swarmed by the medics and doctors.

In the time it took Vegeta to blink, Kakarot had been taken from his arms and placed in a private room. He wanted to follow the beta, but a demure medic stood in his way. He had shoulder length black hair that was surprising orderly for a saiyan, and he was dressed in the white armor that was designed for his profession.

“I'm sorry, sir, but alphas are not allowed in the delivery room.” The dominant just looked at the petite male who was wringing his fingers together as he started to the floor. The poor saiyan looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but near an alpha whose mate just went into labor. “It's for safety reasons.” 

Vegeta blinked a couple of times before what he was told registered. He narrowed his eyes as one side of his upper lip showed a fang. His tail puffed up behind him and, the alpha took a menacing step towards the medic.

“I don't care! That's my mate, and I need to be with him!” The smaller male flinched at the harsh tone in the former prince’s voice. “Stand aside.”

A hand clamped down on his bare shoulder make Vegeta realize that he only had his red gi pants on. As he turned, he saw Bardock dressed in his everyday attire. The older man shook his head as he pulled the shorter saiyan back into the waiting room. The tall warrior looked over his shoulder to the small medic.

“Go help my son. I'll keep an eye on him.” The man gave him a grateful smile and a bow as he scurried to the door. 

“Don't bother arguing with the doctors, Vegeta.” Bardock shoved the agitated alpha into a stone chair. He then crossed his arms over his chest as he looked over at the closed door where his son had been taken. “You can't be in there. Your instincts will prevent the doctors from getting close and, Kakarot from getting the help he needs while in labor.”

“He's my mate! That is my cub!” The former prince still insisted as he moved to get back up, but the taller dominant shoved him back down with a booted foot planted in the middle of his chest. Vegeta snarled as he tried to pry the foot off his torso, but Bardock proved to be stronger than he thought.

“Brat.” The word came out like a growl. “You will remain here like the rest of us.” Bardock gestured to the rest of the room that had Gohan, Goten, Trunks, Tarble, Raditz, and K. Vegeta sitting in various spots around the room. Somehow all of them had gotten dressed in the time it took Vegeta to get Kakarot to the medical wing.

“I know you want to be with him, but you will only be a hindrance. So you will stay out here so the doctors can do their work and deliver your cub.” Bardock put more pressure on his leg that held Vegeta to the chair to emphasize the point before he let up to go sit with his grandsons.

The former prince rubbed at the indentation of the boot on his chest. He glared at the back of the older alpha before looking over at the closed door. He could hear faint muffled sounds coming from the room. Kakarot and his cub were just through that door. He could handle this. Everything was going to be fine.

“Brother?” Tarble made himself known. He held out a bundle of clothing to Vegeta. “I managed to get you some clothes. I think it would be better than staying in your sleep pants.” The beta smiled when the dominant took the offered pile.

“Thank you Tarble.” Vegeta said softly as he stood. “Although, my current attire is preferable to what father had on at your birth.” He smirked leveling a look at their father as he ruffled the spikes of his younger brother's hair. The older man glared at his eldest son with his teeth bared.

“Really?” Tarble asked the question on everyone’s mind as his brother walked towards an orderly to find a place to change.

“Oh yes, he ran through the palace carrying our tama to the medical bay stark naked.” Bardock roared with laughter as their father blushed red with embarrassment. Tarble and Gohan stared after the fallen prince in shock while the children giggled madly.

“I’m sure it’s just because it was the middle of the night.” Gohan said comfortingly.

“It wasn’t.” Vegeta called back before shutting the door.

“Trying to get a head start on number 3, Ve?” Bardock asked between laughs much to the King’s utter embarrassment. K. Vegeta punched his friend in the shoulder, but that did nothing to stop Bardock from laughing.

“So how long do saiyan births take?” Gohan asked wanting to change the subject somewhat as the laughter began to die down.

“That’s one thing humans and saiyans have in common, there’s no way to know, at least that’s how I understood Kakarot when I asked him about it.” Tarble explained. “I think we tend to be faster than humans though. Usually birth is pretty quick. I think the longest recorded labor was 20 hours, and that was a case of triplets. My tama lasted 7 hours with my labor which aside from the complications afterwards was perfectly normal.”

“Gine had hard labors, I was glad alpha’s weren’t allowed in the delivery room.” Bardock said back. “I stayed for part of Raditz's birth, and she tried to make me go in the delivery room so she could castrate me. Hopped a pod to a purging assignment and came back two days later.”

“Coward.” K.Vegeta snapped with a grin at his old friend.

“If your mate worked in the meat distribution district and was disturbingly skilled with knives you would be too. Gine was a horrible fighter but that woman was down right terrifying while she was pregnant.” Bardock explained with a grimace as Vegeta rejoined them freshly dressed. 

Gohan looked down at his little brother who tugged on his hand. “Gohan, is Daddy ok? He looked like he was hurt and he had an accident.” Gohan chuckled a little and picked up Goten before going to sit with Trunks.

“Dad is gonna be fine. Our new brother is ready to get here that’s all.” He ran a hand down the boy’s back. A muffled shout sounded from the door, and everyone looked over at it with sympathetic expressions. 

“He is? But he's in Daddy's belly…how is he going to get out?” Goten blinked with an innocent curiosity as he looked at the adults. He scrunched his nose in confusion as he tried to imagine how his baby brother was going to come out.

“Uh…” Gohan looked over at the older saiyans with a helpless look on his face unsure of how to answer the question. All the dominants looked over at Tarble hoping that the young beta could respond, but he was unknowingly ignoring all of them. He was studying a shrine of Tarro in the far corner of the room with an engrossed expression.

“Well, Goten…the doctors will…uh…” Gohan rubbed the back of his head as he tried to put what was happening in words his seven-year-old brother could understand without being traumatized.

“Boys, I want you three to do me a favor.” Vegeta quickly said when he heard the beginnings of cursing in the other room, and wanting to not answer any awkward inquiries from the cubs. “I just remembered that there are a few things on the ship Bulma sent for Kakarot and the cub. Kalious bless that woman for her brain.” He muttered the last statement under his breath.

“Would you go get them for me and put them in the nursery I've been working on? I wanted to surprise Kakarot once it was finished.” He looked a little uncomfortable with admitting he was doing something nice.

“Sure, Dad! You can count on us!” Trunks saluted the former prince, and the three half saiyans rushed out of the room. Gohan looked over his shoulder with a thankful look before he disappeared from the medical wing.

As soon as the boys were out of earshot, the room became quiet. Time seemed to tick by so slowly as the wait grew longer. A guard came by with a trolley full of food that was quick to vanish. The anxious alpha was especially grateful since he had yet to eat since lunch the day before. 

Vegeta was watching the door in apprehension. He couldn't hear his mate nor the doctors through the wall, and the alpha's foot just started to tap a quiet rhythm. The chestnut tail puffed up and smoothed back down as it twisted around behind him.

“Vegeta, calm down.” The fallen prince looked over at his father who was sitting with his legs crossed and his head resting on one of his hands. There was still tension between the two since that morning that the elder had a shouting match with his son. “You’ll wear yourself out if you stay tense like this. It's not going to be instantaneous, so relax while you can.”

Vegeta tried to follow the advice, but Kakarot started to scream not long after. 

“VEGETA!!!!” The saiyans in the waiting room all flinched at the volume, and the short dominant paled a bit. “GET YOUR ASS IN HERE RIGHT NOW!!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?! THIS IS YOUR SON, YOU SHOULD BE IN HERE WITH ME!!! AHHHH!! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?! IF YOU EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN, IT’LL BE THE LAST THING YOU EVER DO!!!”

“Oh boy…it looks like the threats are coming already. How long did it take, Raditz?” Bardock snickered at the look on Vegeta's face as the younger alpha started wide-eyed at the door. It was so much more amusing when it wasn't him getting threatened.

“About three hours.” The longhaired saiyan replied in an almost distracted manner as he looked over a digital handheld device. “He almost sounds like mother when she was giving birth to him. I never thought Kakarot would be so much like her.”

“BE AFRAID WHEN I GET DONE IN HERE!!! YOUR LIFE AND DICK ARE MINE!!! OH DEAR KALIOUS!!!! GET THIS CUB OUT OF MEEEEE!!!! IF YOU EVER WANT ANOTHER CUB, YOU’RE GOING TO BE THE ONE TO CARRY IT!!!!!!!!”

“See? Aren't you glad you're out here instead of being in something like a cage within reach of an angry beta?” K. Vegeta lifted an eyebrow at his eldest son that was looking more terrified by the minute.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Goku screamed as he rode out the next contraction with his hands fisted in the sheets under him. Sweat was covering his body, and he was tired. As the contraction finally stopped, he slumped back in the delivery chair panting and exhausted. One of the doctors gently wiped away the sweat on his face, and the beta smiled weakly in thanks as he let his eyes fall closed for a minute to rest. The contractions were coming harder now, and he really hoped this would be over soon.

His cub was hanging in there strong as he felt the little spark blaze with life. One hand came up to rub his stomach. “Come on little guy, we’re ready to see you. Tama is really ready to have you out now.”

“He’s not progressing quick enough, is that normal for a beta?” One of the younger doctors whispered. Goku’s blood froze in fear. Was something wrong?

“These things take time. This is his first cub so I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a few difficulties.” Despite the somewhat comforting words the older male whispered back, the submissive still felt fear for his son.

Goku cried out in pain as the next contraction caught him unaware, startling the doctors. He pushed at the urging of a medic behind him and felt the cub’s ki flicker for a moment. “THAT’S IT VEGETA, YOU’RE MY NEXT SPARRING PARTNER!” Looking up for his doctor he saw the oldest near him with a needle in hand.

“NO, NO, NO! STOP!” He shouted trying to push himself up in fear as the pain hit him again. He collapsed back as the pain kept him immobile. The beta had gone completely white as he eyes the sharp point of the needle. “Stay away from me!”

“Kakarot, its medicine to help.” The doctor said with a kind tone that did nothing to help the distressed submissive.

“No, I can do this.” Goku shouted as he pushed trying to get his cub out.

“Kakarot you aren’t ready-” The older saiyan had an alarmed look on his face as he attempted to stop the laboring man.

“You aren’t sticking me with that needle!” Goku snarled with his fangs bared. He pushed through the contraction feeling his cub’s ki flickering under his heart and his panic rose. White-hot pain ripped across his stomach drawing a pained scream from the beta as the scent of blood filled the room. Two medics immediately moved to hold down Goku’s arms as dizziness rushed over him.

“NO! STOP IT!” he fought against the grip as another doctor came at him with a needle. Pain shot through him again rendering him helpless as the doctor injected him. The overwhelming urge to sleep started to take over. Everything was going wrong; he needed his mate. He couldn’t do this alone. The submissive's eyes were growing hazy as they looked to the door.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“VEGETA!!! PLEASE COME IN HERE!! I’M SORRY!! MAKE IT STOP! I CAN’T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!!!” Kakarot sounded like he was sobbing as he begged for his mate. “PLEASE GETA!!! DON’T MAKE ME DO THIS ALONE!!!” Vegeta stood as he heard the pleading in his mate’s voice something wasn’t right.

“Don't! It's a trick, Vegeta! He'll try to castrate you as soon as you go in there!” Bardock lunged for the smaller man when he made for the door. He wrestled the former prince to the ground just as the screaming started again.

“GET HIM OUT!!! IT HURTS, JUST GET HIM OUT! VEGETA!!!!” The tone that the submissive was shouting with was a little more shrill and pleading then before, and that made every saiyan wince.

Just then, blood and fear could be scented in the air outside the delivery room.

All of the alpha’s felt their hackles rise in concern before Vegeta snarled and threw Bardock off making for the door again. K.Vegeta and Raditz tackled the enraged alpha inches from the door as Bardock also assisted in holding Vegeta back. Something was very wrong.

“KAKAROT!” Vegeta shouted and snarled trying to get to his mate. Bardock winced, ‘He’s gonna be pissed about this later.’ Before he grabbed the former prince’s tail just above his spine and squeezed. Vegeta dropped bonelessly in the other’s grasp despite the growl coming from him. As they pulled him away from the door, a pale and nervous medic came out.

“What the hell is going on in there?!” Bardock demanded his own fangs coming out in concern for his youngest. The older dominant maneuvered the prone saiyan into a better grip to hold him back once he regained his strength.

“Are you four calm now?” He asked.

“Tell me what you did to my mate!” Vegeta snapped from Bardock’s hold.

“He’s not going to get any calmer until you answer the question.” K. Vegeta answered. “He’s feeling his fear and Kakarot’s call at the moment.”

“Kakarot panicked when we tried to give him medication to help his labor progress. It was progressing slower that usual and he was distressed. When the next contraction hit he tried to push the cub out and something tore causing him to begin bleeding out.” The medic explained. Vegeta paled and went silent in fear.

“The senior doctors have him sedated and are beginning a cesarean section right now.” He looked over his shoulder at the door. “I need to get back in there to help. We will do everything we can to make sure both beta and cub make it. Please excuse me.”

The fallen prince just stared at the door feeling absolutely helpless as he waited for word on the fate of his cub and mate.


	25. Chapter 25

Getting to the ship, and retrieving the capsules was the easy part for the three demi-saiyans. The metal sphere was right where the teen had left it after he piloted it to a safer location. It was only when they had gotten to the nursery that been added to Kakarot's room that Gohan realized just how much unpacking and sorting needed to be done.

Vegeta had painted the room a soft blue that looked similar to the sky on Earth. A wooden crib that had been painted black with silver filigree etchings covering the rails, and a plush rocking chair done in the same style were placed by the small window in the room. There was only one door in the room and it lead to the beta's bedroom for security and easy access for the soon to be tama.

When the teen had clicked one of the capsules, a huge pile of stuffed toys appeared in a puff of smoke. Gohan's eyes widened as he looked at bears, dogs, tigers, and other animals in the pile. Soon more piles of interactive games, clothes, blankets, and baby supplies crowded the room.

“What did Bulma do? Buy a whole baby store and ship it? There's way too much here! How are we going to fit it all in here?!” The teen scratched his head as he looked down at the boys beside him. Both also had wide eyes as they took in the twelve piles of stuff.

“Wow…Mom really went overboard, didn't she? Some of those piles are taller then me!” Trunks crossed his arms with a frown in his face. He looked so much like his father at that moment. “Where are we going to put all this stuff? Dad didn't make the room big enough when he carved it out of the stone. What do you think, Goten? Huh, Goten?”

The lavender haired boy looked for his missing friend that had just been at his side a second ago.

“Look at all the toys!!” The younger cub had popped up from one of the piles of stuffed animals with his arms full of the plush creatures. He snuggled his face into his armload with a bright smile. “I've never seen so many!”

“Goten…” Trunks face palmed at the other while he pulled himself out of one pile to go through another. He looked up at the older boy as he muttered. “He has the attention span of a bunny on caffeine.”

Gohan chuckled at the statement as he nodded in agreement. His younger brother can get a little over excited about some things, but it was a quality that made the boy so endearing.

It took the combined efforts of the two older half saiyans to get the black haired cub to focus, but soon everything Bulma had packed had been put away or placed in a pile for Vegeta to decide what to do with at a later time.

Gohan stood to his full height as he wiped his forehead with the back of his wrist. The young alpha had a please smile on his face as he surveyed the room. Seeing as there was nothing else the three could do, he decided it was time to check in with the others to see how his father was faring with the baby.

“Come on, boys. Let's head back.” With a flick of his tail, the teen walked towards the door. He took a few steps out of the room before he yelled over his shoulder. “Goten! Put that stuffed dragon back! It's for our sibling!”

The younger cub froze with the green and blue toy in his hands. Trunks smirked as the other boy reluctantly placed the plushy back by the crib with a pout on his face. Goten stuck his tongue out at the lavender haired saiyan as he chased after his older brother with Trunks hot on his heels.

As the half saiyans joked at the pout Goten was wearing on his face, they caught the faint scent of blood. All of them tensed as they followed the source to the hospital wing of the palace. There were multiple saiyans gathered around the area with concerned and worried expressions.

Gohan rushed to the door to the medical bay with a pale face with the two cubs flying behind him. The teen felt his heart racing as he threw open the doors. Once the demi-saiyans were inside, a guard quickly shut the doors before others could come in the room.

Vegeta and Bardock were kneeling in front of the shrine of Tarro with bowed heads and pale faces. They wordlessly mumbled prayers for the safety and health of the beta and cub in the other room that had gone silent.

“What happened, what’s wrong with Dad?!” Gohan asked the older saiyan's present. Tarble came over to him so they could speak softly.

“Kakarot started to have difficulties with his labor. He tried to push the cub out when he became distressed and something tore causing your father to begin bleeding. The doctors are doing a C-section on him right now.” Gohan dropped into the nearest chair as his legs gave out in shock.

“How bad is it?” Gohan asked after a moment.

“We don’t know. We heard Kakarot scream for Vegeta to come in the delivery room and then we smelled the blood. He and Bardock haven’t stopped praying since we received the news. We’ve all offered prayers to Lady Tarro for Kakarot and the cub’s health, I just hope she hears them.”

“Will it help?” Goten asked softly. The older men looked down at the cubs. Goten had tears in his eyes and his small tail was clutched in his hand like a lifeline. Trunks was also wringing his hands as his tail coiled showing his own distress. “If we pray to the nice lady will she help? I don’t wanna lose my daddy, I just got him back.”

Tarble knelt and hugged the two cubs knowing they needed comforting, his own instincts driving him to look after the boys.

“She might Goten, it doesn’t hurt to ask her for help.”

“How do we ask her?” Trunks asked. Tarble’s eyes softened as he looked at his nephews.

“Do you see how Vegeta and Bardock are kneeling with their hands together in front of the statue? That statue is blessed by Tarro so we can talk to her.”

“But they aren’t saying anything out loud.” Trunks responded.

“Prayers are private things and you say them in here.” Tarble explained touching both boys over their hearts. “You tell her in your mind and believe that she will hear you.” Goten and Trunks nodded before they joined their family at the shrine. Goten clapped his hands together in front of his face and clenched his eyes shut as his lips began to move with fervent pleas. Trunks more calmly mirrored his actions with a bowed head.

“Do you really think it will help?” Gohan asked, the scientist in him at war with the desire to believe.

“I hope. Lady Tarro is powerful and she watches over her children. I won’t claim to know her mind but I refuse to believe she would let Kakarot or Vegeta suffer like this after finally coming together or after everything they and our family have done for our race.” Tarble confided.

The prince looked over at his brother with sad eyes. While neither one of them had spent much time together through out their lives, Tarble could tell Vegeta had suffered greatly in his life. The beta didn't think the older man would make it if he lost his mate and cub. His brother sacrificed so much of himself for their people while living under that lizard, he hoped Vegeta would finally be rewarded and given the peace he deserved.

“I hope you're right, Tarble. I don't think any of us could live if something happen to my father again.” Gohan looked at the beta with a pained expression. The young beta just sat down beside the teen and put a comforting hand on his shoulder as both watched the closed door in nervous anticipation.

Vegeta finally got off his knees. He had repeated his pleas to the Moon Goddess at least ten times, and he felt like there was nothing more he could say. He spotted Trunks and Goten right beside him with their bowed heads and hands clasped in front of them. It gave the alpha a warm feeling seeing how much the boys cared for Kakarot.

The fallen prince started to pace in the room with his eyes flickering over to the door where his mate was. His insides felt twisted, and the chestnut tail behind him showed his anxiety with the way it lashed, coiled, fluffed up, and twisted. 

Vegeta had never felt so helpless in his life. Not even that fight against Frieza made him feel like this! He could at least hit that lizard, but he couldn't do anything in this situation. While the dominant had never been a very religious person after the destruction of his world, he was willing to do anything to make sure Kakarot pulled through.

‘Why didn't I go in there when I had the chance?! Kakarot needed me! He called out for me!’ Vegeta thought as he snarled at himself. He stopped pacing and fisted his hands. He bared his teeth in his self-loathing frustration.

“Vegeta, you couldn't have known.” K. Vegeta put a hand on his eldest son's shoulder. He had been watching the younger alpha ever since the medic came out earlier. “It's not your fault, son. Sometimes these things happen, but don't fret too much. Kakarot is strong. I'm sure he and your cub will pull through.”

“Father…” 

“He'll be just fine, Vegeta. Lady Tarro will make sure that they will pull through. I have a feeling that she is fond of your mate, and will not let him die so easily.” The confidence in the monarch’s voice helped to ease some of the shorter alpha's worry.

The door opened up with a greying older saiyan dressed in white robes similar to scrubs that surgeons wear on Earth. Unfortunately, the while cloth had been splattered with a surprisingly amount of blood, and the man had a haggard look on his face.

Vegeta felt his stomach drop as he rushed up to the doctor. That was too much blood for the dominant's comfort, and he feared the worst.

“How is Kakarot?! Is he alright?! The cub?” The former prince practically shouted at the man as he fisted his hands in the older saiyan's robes.

“Congratulations, you have a healthy and very strong son, Vegeta. Kakarot is still weak from the surgery at the moment but he’s going to be just fine with rest.” Relief was visible through out the whole room. Once the saiyans in the room turned their attention back on the physician, the older man continued.

“From what we saw during the surgery Kakarot developed a tear in his muscles surrounding the birth canal when he tried to push the cub out before his body was fully ready. We were unable to see the tear until we completed the cesarean. The nature of his injury prevented us from placing him in a recovery tank but we have treated the tear with a localized healing serum that has regenerated the tissues in that area and sealed the tear to speed his healing. Kakarot should make a full recovery in a matter of days.”

Vegeta nearly fell to his knees in relief and happiness. He let the doctor go as he took a shaky breath. He immediately turned to the shrine and bowed his head in gratitude.

“What was the cause?” Gohan asked wanting to know more as Bardock offered his thanks to the goddess.

“A combination of factors really. Kakarot is older and from what I know of his case this was his first heat and pregnancy, which is unheard of at his age. The muscles also showed signs of scarring that were at least a decade old characteristic of severe damage and rapid regeneration. That combined with his increased blood pressure in his distress was simply too much for his body. It’s possible we can remove the scarring after he is healed to help him with future pregnancies.” The older saiyan then looked at the former prince.

“He is awake and asking for you, Vegeta.” The doctor gave him a smile as he gestured to the open door with his head. “Go on in.” 

Vegeta didn't even hesitate as he hurried over to the door. The alpha wrinkled his nose at the lingering stench of blood, fear, and antiseptic mixed together. He shook his head to try and dislodge the offensive smell, and he caught sight of his mate in a bed away from where medics were taking bloodstained linens out of the room.

Seeing all that blood sent a jolt of panic for Kakarot, but seeing the younger saiyan looking for the most part all right settled the alpha's heart. 

The fallen prince took a couple of silent steps over to Kakarot when he caught sight of a wriggling soft blue bundle being held close to the beta's chest. Vegeta felt his breath freeze in his lungs at the image before him. The faint scent of the new cub wafted over to him, and he took a deep breath to memorize the new smell of citrus and spice.

“Geta?” The weak voice of the submissive brought the alpha out of his trance. 

Kakarot was holding a hand out to him, and the older saiyan was moving before he knew it. Their fingers entwined once Vegeta was within reach. His dark eyes looked over the tired beta that held the cub to his chest protectively. He couldn't help but feel proud and happy that his mate was so strong.

With his free hand, the dominant slowly pulled the blue blanket down just a bit to see the face of his new son. The fallen prince felt a burst of pride at the sight, and he felt an intense love for the small being immediately.

His facial structure was very similar to Kakarot's, but he had Vegeta's nose and cheekbones. The baby's hair was exactly like his father's, but there were two bangs drooping down over his forehead. The black hair had some reddish brown highlights with a matching tail. All and all, Vegeta thought the child was a perfect combination of them both.

“He looks like our fusion, Geta.” Kakarot was smiling down at the sleeping cub with such a tender look in his eyes. The submissive was softly purring as his black tail gently ruffled the downy fur on the baby's tail. “The one when we fought Buu. He looks exactly like our fusion.”

Vegeta lifted a brow, but he agreed with his tired mate. The hand that has pulled the blanket down moved so he could feel the satiny skin of the cub with his fingertips. The boy’s nose wrinkled as he caught his father's scent, and he let out a high pitched mew like noise as the limp tail twitched and swayed slightly.

“I assume you already picked out a name, Kakarot?” His eyes never left the cub when he asked, but he did move to sit on the bed with his arm wrapped around the submissive. Kakarot settled along side his alpha with a happy noise in the back of his throat.

Vegeta let out a deep purr as he nuzzled his face in the soft spikes of the beta's hair. He took a deep breath of Kakarot's scent as he closed his eyes to savor what he could have lost again. The dominant gently tightened his hold on the younger man, and pressed a kiss on the crown of the other's head.

The beta moved so that the baby was being held in the arm that was closest to the former prince. The child squirmed a bit to get comfortable again, but he didn't wake. Both of his parents’ tails joined Kakarot's arm to hold him, and the cub let out a sigh as he snuggled into his tama’s arms.

“His name is Vegito.”


	26. Chapter 26

Vegeta had carried his mate and cub back to Kakarot's rooms after Bardock got rid of the saiyans crowding around the main medical wing door. He was very appreciative of his father in law since it possibly saved an unfortunate soul their life.

The alpha was too stressed to deal with anyone today. It had been a long twelve hours before the chief doctor allowed the fallen prince to take the submissive back to his room. Vegeta had to swear to allow the man to rest for the next few days with nothing to worry about except the baby's needs, as if he would do anything else.

Once Vegeta tucked the beta in bed, he fell asleep immediately. Vegito was laying on his tama’s chest with an arm wrapped protectively around his tiny body. The submissive was purring softly in his sleep, and that soothing sound was keeping the cub asleep as well.

“How's Kakarot?” The deep voice of Bardock brought Vegeta's attention over to the doorway to Kakarot's bedroom. The older dominant remained at the door as he watched the former prince warily. Vegeta had a slightly feral gleam in his eyes, and his tail was puffed up behind him. When the other alpha’s scent hit Vegeta, he resisted the sudden urge to lash out at the other alpha.

“Fine. Now get out.” Vegeta growled out with a partial snarl and flash of fangs. His hands were curled into fists, and his body was moving to stand protectively in front of his resting family with his tail betraying his agitation.

The older saiyan calmly gave a nod of his head and left shutting the door quietly behind him. The fallen prince could hear Bardock ushering the rest of the family out of Kakarot's chambers with half an ear, but the majority of his attention focused was on the bed.

Kakarot and Vegito looked so vulnerable that it had the alpha's hackles rising. Anything could hurt them now if it slipped past his watch. Vegeta walked the perimeter of the room on the lookout for any threats. 

Satisfied that everything was secure, the dominant moved to sit on the bed beside the pair. His tail was waving lazily and his chest rumbled with a purr at the sight. He had his mate and another son. Pride swelled in his chest as he took in their creation, Vegito cooed softly while shifting in his sleep. As the events of the day began to wear on him Vegeta rose and began gathering the numerous soft furs and pillows around the bedroom before arranging them into a semblance of Kakarot’s nest in the other room on the massive bed as he rubbed his scent onto them. 

A knock at the door drew a low growl from the alpha as he moved towards the door warily. When the soft knock came again Vegeta cracked the door open to see what they wanted. Tarble stood outside with a covered basket, and Vegeta calmed a bit as he took in the scent of his beta brother.

“I’m just dropping off some food for you and Kakarot in case he wakes during the night hungry. There’s some formula in there too so you won’t have to leave either of them if Vegito gets hungry.” Calmly the alpha took the basket nodding his thanks as he shut the door to keep his brother out. Peering inside his stomach protested his recent fasting before he grabbed a stuffed roll and shoved the whole thing into his mouth as he set the basket aside on a table. 

His jaw popped with the force of his newest yawn as he shed his armor for his crimson pants. The alpha could feel his eyes burning with fatigue as he took another glance around the room to make sure everything was to his liking before he could rest with Kakarot.

With nothing out of the ordinary, Vegeta relaxed his guard some. He was sure that his father and Bardock had taken measures to ensure the beta and new heir’s protection, and he highly doubted that anything would slip past Bardock.

Kakarot barely stirred as the alpha climbed into the new nest and settled in beside his mate purring contently. Kakarot’s black tail twined with Vegeta’s of its own accord as the alpha breathed in the beta and his cub’s scent. Their purring quickly lulling Vegeta to sleep.

Unfortunately, the dominant didn't sleep more then a couple of hours before he was woken up.

The fallen prince blinked bleary in the darkness as he lifted his head from black spikes to look for the source of the tiny sound that woke him. When he felt soft fur run along his chest, it brought his eyes down.

Kakarot had shifted while they slept, and was now facing the older saiyan with Vegito in his arms. The submissive somehow had tucked his head under Vegeta's chin and tangled their legs together. He was still deep asleep after the chaos of the previous day.

The baby was between them, but now he was awake. Vegito squirmed and fussed with his cute face scrunched up. The dominant watched his son as he twisted around to face the awake adult. His big eyes reminded Vegeta so much of Kakarot, and a small smile made his lips perk up.

It was the first time the alpha had seen his newest son awake, and, not that Vegeta would ever admit to even thinking it, the cub was adorable. The baby mewled as he reached out for the chestnut tail his father brought up to ruffle his bangs.

This continued on for a few minutes with Vegito trying to grab the older man's tail with his tiny hands as Vegeta bushed the cub with his tail playfully. Vegeta noted that his son already had a good grasp on his motor skills. He would be very strong when he was older. The smile on the dominant's face grew without his knowledge every time the cub was able to touch his tail. Soft coos of delight came from the cub at every touch of the soft fur.

When the cub stopped, the alpha frowned and looked questioningly at his son. Vegito just stared up at his other parent with watery eyes as he brought up his mahogany tail to suck on the tip with a whimper as his small hands grasped the furry appendage. It was something all saiyan babies did when they were getting hungry, and the former prince shook his head. 

“You've got your tama’s appetite. It's a good thing we're not on Earth. I'd never be able to keep food in the house with all of us there.” Vegeta gently took the baby out of Kakarot's arms, and got out of bed.

“Sh, Kakarot. I got him.” Vegeta whispered to the beta when he whined in his sleep at the missing warmth of his son and mate, and Kakarot settled back down. 

Vegito snuggled in the warmth of his father's arm and tail as the alpha went over to the basket his brother had so thoughtfully brought. The cub watched with big eyes as Vegeta pulled a pre made bottle of formula out of a cooler in the basket. After a quick shake and a gentle warming of the bottle with his ki, the alpha held it to his son’s face.

The boy latched on almost immediately as soon as he caught the scent of warm milk. He let his tail go in favor of holding onto the dominant's fingers on the hand that held the bottle, and he was greedily sucking down the liquid. 

‘Definitely your tama’s son.’ Vegeta chuckled as he took a seat on an overstuffed chair close to the bed. The cub gave the older saiyan a slight glare that was purely his father's before turning his attention back to nursing. The dominant couldn't help but find amusing, and he had a feeling he would see that look a lot in the future.

It felt a bit strange to be here like this. Being in the palace on Vegetasei with a mate sleeping just a few feet from him as he held his newborn son was something he never thought would happen. Vegeta had resigned himself to be a prince of a dying race with no hope of it ever returning to its former glory, but watching Vegito changed everything.

He hadn't been around when Trunks was born, and that was something that the fallen prince regretted. Hell, he had only been around for the boy's conception. Sure, he became involved with his son, but it was almost five years after the boy’s birth. And don't get him started about his relationship with Bulma…

It felt like he was making excuses for his behavior but with his upbringing at the hands of a tyrant, he didn't really know how to make deep emotional bonds, nor had he desired them until after he chose to remain on Earth. Something like that could have gotten him killed in the past, and he hated Frieza for being the main cause he was like this. 

Now he was terrified of messing up this second chance. Vegeta was fully aware that he wasn't the best family man, but he felt like he had so much more to lose if he did anything wrong. He would loose his mate, sons, and any hope of being truly happy in his lifetime.

Kakarot would not forgive him a second time, and if he drove the gentle saiyan off again…he shuddered at the thought. He might as well dig a grave and hope Bardock would have the decency to bury his mangled corpse in that hole.

A small sigh from the bundle in his arms drew the alpha out of his thoughts. Vegito was watching him with those large innocent eyes as he suckled, and Vegeta felt a warm feeling grow in his chest. His features softened when he felt a tiny tail coil around his wrist with a tight squeeze.

He shifted the baby nuzzle his nose in mahogany highlighted spikes and breathed in the spicy citrus scent. Vegito had finished his meal and was trying to rub his face against his father's with the barest hint of a purr coming from his tiny body.

“I’m not the greatest father little one,” Vegeta said softly as he rocked the cub, “I’m not even sure I could be considered a good man; but I promise to do better by you, your tama, and brothers. You will never have to experience what I went through growing up, no matter what happens. I will do everything in my power to protect you all.” He said placing a kiss on the cub’s forehead.

“I think you're doing a good job so far, Geta.” Kakarot's voice startled the alpha, and Vegeta jerked his head up as he tightened his hold on his son. The beta had a lazy smile on his face as he watched his mate flush at being caught.

Vegito giggled as he reached out for his tama once he noticed that the submissive was awake. His squirming made the dominant move back over to the bed after he had placed the empty bottle by the basket.

“I thought you would still be sleeping. You need your rest.” The fallen prince muttered as he tried to make his blush disappear with no success. He placed the boy back on the bed, laying him on his back with all five limbs moving in the air as he made all sorts of happy sounds. Vegeta looked away from the still smiling Kakarot with a pink stain on his cheeks.

“I'm fine right now. I'm a little hungry though.” The beta shifted to prop up with the headboard supporting his weight. He picked up Vegito and held him in the crook of his left arm. He had a hard time keeping his youngest child out of his arms, and he wasn't sure when he would feel comfortable enough to let go. He nuzzled the cub and his heart swelled as Vegito made tiny purring sounds.

Chi-Chi almost never let him hold Gohan, and he missed seeing Goten as a baby. She always told him that he would hurt his son if he so much as touched the baby, and he had to sneak in late night cuddles with his own son! Granted looking back, she had a point considering he had problems controlling his strength after they married but he would never have hurt his child.

Even on a different planet, he still felt like someone would come and take his cub right out of his arms, and he was positive that he would react violently if someone dared to do so.

Vegeta used his tail to pick up the basket as he moved over to sit on the bed beside his mate. The submissive's eyes lit up as his alpha pulled out an assortment of meats, breads, and fruits. Once everything was spread out, both saiyans started to devour the food. Kakarot's tail gently teased the happy cub to keep him occupied as they satisfied their stomachs.

“You need to stop worrying, Geta. I've seen how you've been these past couple of weeks, and you have nothing to stress over.” Kakarot paused to say. He moved to cuddle up to the dominant with a purr. “You ARE a good man, you just make mistakes like the rest of us. I know you will be a fantastic father and mate.”

“How can you be so sure, Kakarot?” Vegeta looked down at his lap in self-deprecation. “I missed out on most of Trunks’ early childhood, I wasn't a good husband to Bulma, I drove you away, and almost made you loose our son…” His onyx eyes flickered over to Vegito who was now watching his parents while sucking on his thumb. 

“Geta…” Kakarot gently lifted Vegeta’s chin to look at him. “You aren’t a bad person. I don’t expect you to be perfect, I have about as much experience being a real father as you do.”

“You were there for your son from the beginning Kakarot.”

“You realize at the time I was constantly training and never actually had a father figure to learn from unless you count Roshi or my grandfather. Chichi didn’t let me actually have a hand in raising Gohan either. Piccolo was more of a father to Gohan than I was most of the time.” Admitting that out loud hurt more that the younger saiyan wanted it too. “We spent so much time fighting to save the world and recovering from battles I didn’t get to be a father. He never said as much but I know part of him was angry at me for not coming back to life after the cell games.”

“You can’t keep beating yourself up over that Kakarot.” Vegeta responded quietly. “If he knew why-”

“No.” Kakarot said holding Vegito closer, and he had to repress a shudder of fear and disgust. The beta just wanted to forget that night ever happened. “Gohan doesn’t need to know. I don’t want him to know. I don’t want any one to know.”

“You know he won’t think any less of you.” Vegeta wrapped an arm around his mate. “Your son moved into capsule corp about a month after you made the wish. He quit going to school and begged me to train him. In one of our earlier sessions he confided he was afraid you left him because he wasn’t saiyan enough.”

“No! That’s not why!”

“I know that Kakarot. He does too once he can get that bitch’s brainwashing out of his head. You thought he was happy with his life. You know he tried to punch me through a wall when he found out.” The submissive chuckled as he leaned into Vegeta’s embrace as they settled into the nest together.

“Seems like we both have a lot to learn don’t we.” Kakarot said softly. “We can do it together. Just promise me something Vegeta.”

“Anything.”

“Don’t leave me. No matter if we fight, please don’t ever leave me.” He said looking up into the alpha’s eyes with a pleading expression. Vegeta leaned in and kissed his mate while guiding them both down into the furs. The gentleness the usual harsh man showed made the submissive melt.

“Never.” He said kissing the crown of the beta’s head. “I’ll never leave you, Kakarot. Not even in death.” The beta purred as he curled into the alpha content and safe. Vegito had fallen asleep during their talk, his small tail wound around his tama’s arm.

“I love you, Geta.”

“And I you, Kakarot.” Both purred in happiness as they began drifting off to sleep.

“We still have to let everyone meet Vegito.” The younger man said sleepily.

“We can start with your father and the boys. I think they and Tarble might be the only ones I could tolerate with my instincts right now.” Vegeta said yawning. “The hairball can wait a few days.”


	27. Chapter 27

“So, what else is needed for the tournament?” Goten heard Goku asked Tarble as he watched his new younger brother. The older beta was reclining back in his nest, and would most likely remain in it or the bed for the next few days. He was still not fully healed after the rough birth.

Goten, Trunks, and Gohan were in the room with the two submissive saiyans while Vegeta had gone to hunt in the mountains for a venison like animal for his mate. The alpha would be back before dinner, so Tarble and the boys were keeping an eye on Goku. It was a relaxing day with everyone in their gis. Even Tarble had a dark red and light blue gi on as well. It seemed that Earth fashion was becoming popular on Vegetasei.

“We've got the arena set up, all we really need is vendors to feed everyone, and to make sure every participant knows the rules. It's been ages since a Kalious Tournament was held!” Tarble sounded excited about the festival that was taking place within the month.

The black haired boy was beside Vegito sitting in the massive pile of furs and blankets. Vegito, dressed in a footless blue onesie, was trying to hold onto a stuffed bear that Bulma had sent. The demi-saiyan smiled at the slightly frustrated look on his brother's face when his hands didn't go where Vegito wanted them to go. His own small tail came up and tickled the baby’s feet drawing giggles from his little brother. It was surreal not being the youngest any more and was kinda cool. 

Now if only Vegito would stop taking up all of his Daddy’s time. Gohan explained it to him and Trunks that first night, how Vegito was too little to do anything for himself so their parents had to take special care of the baby. Gohan also said it was something all parents had to do with new babies and how he helped their mother with Goten after he was born. Seeing how small his little brother was he agreed it was probably a good thing Vegeta and his Daddy were spending so much time with the baby but he still wished his Daddy would play with him instead of talking to Tarble about stuff.

With a sigh Goten rested his chin in his hands as he watched Vegito stuff the ear of the stuffed bear into his mouth with a pang of jealousy. He wasn’t even playing with it right. You weren’t supposed to chew on stuffed toys. He glance over to Trunks hoping he was bored too so they could play, but sadly the older boy was happily reading some book Tarble brought with him. 

Trunks wouldn’t want to play until he was finished and would be grumpy if he bugged him. Gohan was no help either since he was making goo-goo eyes at Tarble the whole time. His eyes slid back to Vegito’s bear, he really wanted that dragon plushy right now. Why did Vegito get to have so many toys? He couldn’t even play with most of them right now.

He paused with that thought. He had so many he’d never know one was missing. Maybe his little brother wouldn’t mind if Goten borrowed it for a while? He seemed happy enough with his bear. Quietly Goten got up and seeing none of his family even noticed, stealthily moved from the sitting room back to the new nursery during the conversation.

He looked at all the toys around him in search of that stuffed green and blue dragon he tried to take earlier. His eyes lit up as soon as he spotted the plushy, and he grabbed it hugging it tightly with a small purr as he rubbed his cheek into the soft fabric. It reminded him of the Eternal Dragon with the shape of its head except for the colors and big happy eyes.

“Goten, put that back. I know you like that dragon, but it's for Vegito not you.” Goten froze turning around to see Gohan behind him in the open door of the nursery. The teen had his hands on his hips as he lifted an eyebrow.

“I was just borrowing it!” Goten protested in his defense. His grip tightened on the dragon as his small tail curled behind him anxiously. “He won’t even know I played with it, please Gohan.”

“That’s not how borrowing things works, Goten. You can’t just take and use something that isn’t yours even if the owner doesn’t know.” Gohan explained as he rubbed his forehead with one of his hands.

“But he has all these other toys! Why can’t I play with just one of them?! He’s happy with his bear, it’s not like he’s using this one right now.”

“That doesn’t matter, Goten. It’s not your toy.”

“I just want to play with it, Gohan! Why won’t you let me even do that? I’m not asking to keep it. Please, I just want to play with it for a little while.” He said with tears in his eyes. All he wanted to do was just hold it for awhile.

“You’re acting like a brat, Goten.” Gohan said firmly as he took the toy from his younger brother to put it back with the other toys. Goten stiffened, and he glared at Gohan.

“You’re just like her! I hate you!” Goten shouted before he ran from the nursery. He passed Tarble, Trunks, and Vegeta, who had just returned, before running out of Goku’s rooms crying.

Vegeta’s eyes followed the youngest half saiyan with a lifted brow. He had only caught the last thing that the teen said before Goten shouted at his older brother, and he saw how those words affect Gohan. He wondered what could have happened to warrant such a reaction from the usually happy boy.

“What happened, Kakarot? Why did the runt take off like that?” The alpha asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. He moved towards the beta in his nest. His mate was looking at the door with an upset expression.

“I'm not sure, Geta. I was talking to Tarble about the festival so I wasn't paying much attention to him. He was playing with Vegito a little while ago.” Goku sounded as upset as he looked and the fallen prince pulled the beta into a hug as he sat down on the side of the nest. “What happened Gohan?”

“Goten wanted to play with one of Vegito's toys, but I wouldn't let him. He tried to take it a few days ago when we set up the nursery, I thought he was trying to do the same thing.” Gohan muttered to the floor with the stuffed dragon still in his hand. His dark eyes drifted over to the smiling dragon. “When he started getting upset I told him he was acting like a brat, but…I don't know why he yelled at me like that.” 

The teen also didn't understand why Goten had compared him to their mother like that either. It really hurt the young alpha; he was nothing like Chi-chi. Tarble came up beside Gohan and put a hand on his shoulder as he watched the younger half saiyan.

“Yeah…that wasn't like Goten at all. I don't think I've ever seen him like that, Dad. And all over a lame stuffed dragon.” Trunks folded his arms over his chest with a frown on his face. “He was being a brat.”

Vegeta frowned as he thought on the situation. Goten was a bundle of sunshine just like his father. Never had the cub even shown that he disliked another person, let alone said he hated someone. It felt like he was missing something. There was something about the toy that they were missing.

“Did Goten ever have toys when he was on Earth?” The older dominant thought out loud as he searched his memories about the younger demi-saiyan. While he never paid too much attention to Kakarot's son at the time, he couldn't remember ever seeing the boy with a single toy after he turned five. He knew both cubs didn’t have very many here, something he was trying to remedy, but there weren’t many toys on Vegetasei as children spent most of their time learning to fight, especially under the control of the cold empire.

“Of course he did!” Gohan shouted angrily, scaring Vegito. The baby whimpered as Goku gathered him in his arms, and the submissive shot his eldest a glare. Gohan scratched the back of head with a sheepish look. “Sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to scare him, but I know Goten had toys when he was younger. I gave him a lot of my old toys.” He even saved his money and bought Goten a few new toys every once in a while.

“Uh…where were you for the last couple of years, Gohan?” Trunks butt in. “Goten never brought any toys over after he turned five. He never even brought over his favorite stuffed dog, and he loved that thing! He used to cry if he didn’t have it when he slept over.” The lavender haired cub huffed at his stepbrother. Honestly, Gohan could be as observant as a brick when he was absorbed with school.

“That bitch!” Goku hissed as he connected the pieces. His exclamation startled the others save for the baby, who was once again chewing on the bear’s ear. The beta moved to get off the bed to go after Goten, but his mate put a hand on his shoulder.

“Stay here, Kakarot. You’re still supposed to be resting. I'll go get him.” Vegeta walked over to Gohan and took the dragon out of his hand. “I think Vegito will be more than happy to share with his older brother.” The alpha smiled at his youngest son who clapped his hands together with a giggle. As he went in search of his youngest stepson he couldn’t help but feel his hate for that woman renew itself. If she ever crossed his path again he’d see to it she got what was coming to her.

Goten was sitting in the tree, in Goku's garden with his knees drawn up to his chest, and his tail wrapped around them. His face was wet with tears as he sobbed in his knees. It was supposed to be better here, Daddy promised him. Gohan was still being mean and acting like he did when he told him Chi-chi hit him. Now his daddy was too busy with the new baby to do anything.

“I just wanted to hold it….” He whimpered. He hadn’t gotten to cuddle a toy since she took Spot from him aside from cuddling some of Trunks’ when they played and he couldn’t do that often since Trunks’ called him a baby.

“Goten.” The small cub looked up through tear filled eyes to see Vegeta. His little heart broke some more not seeing his father; he wanted his Daddy. Mr. Vegeta wasn’t very nice all the time either even if he didn’t do anything to him. He just sorta ignored him. 

“Go away.” He said burying his head in his knees again. “You think the same thing as Gohan.”

“Really? And what is that?” Vegeta said sitting on the branch next to the cub. Goten looked up with what would have been an impressive impersonation of Kakarot’s signature glare if he wasn’t crying still.

“You both think I’m a brat! You call me mean names like runt, brat, and spawn just like she did! I’m not a brat or a monster.” Goten sobbed out. “Gohan took that toy away when I didn’t do anything wrong. I just wanted to hold it, not take it I know I’m not supposed to.”

“I’m sorry I hurt your feelings Goten. That was wrong of me.” Vegeta said as his hand came up to rub the cub’s back. “Did Chi-chi call you all those names too?” He had a feeling, but he needed the cub to actually tell him. Goten nodded miserably as he wiped at his eyes.

“Ever since I turned super saiyan the first time. I hurt her by accident.” Goten said as his tail curled around him and he held it close as through to protect it. “She said I was a monster and that she’d fix me. S-she c-cut off my tail.”

“Did you tell Gohan she said those things?” The cub nodded again.

“He didn’t believe me, he never believed me about any of it. ‘Don’t exaggerate Goten’, or ‘Mom’s just being dramatic’; ‘Act like a big boy’. ‘Don’t whine about getting punished for not finishing your homework.’ She was always nice to him.”

“Did she take away your toys too?” Vegeta asked. “Trunks told me you never brought your toys with you when you came to play. I noticed you stopped carrying your toy dog everywhere a while ago. I thought you were just growing up but now I think I may be wrong.” Goten whined as fresh tears sprang to his eyes.

“Little freaks don’t get to have toys.” He whispered. “They have to study and do chores to learn to be normal. She even took the stuff Gohan gave me and locked it up. She, she….” Vegeta couldn’t take it any more and scooped the cub into his arms, rubbing his back as Goten sobbed again.

“What did she do Goten?” Goten needed to get this out if he was ever going to get over what that bitch did.

“She broke Spot.” He cried. “She tore him up and threw away the pieces and said if I was going to be a b-brat she do that to the rest of my stuff.” Big black eyes looked up pleadingly at Vegeta as they sat in the tree. “Please don’t be like her Mr. Vegeta. I know you don’t like me but please don’t be mean like she was. You can ignore me all you want, I won’t mind honest.”

“I would never hurt you Goten. You’ve been studying with Tarble and your Dad right. Remember what they said about saiyans and family? Family is everything to the saiyans. You, little one, are part of my family now.” Vegeta said as his tail came up to twine with the cub’s. “I know I’m not the nicest of people but I’m trying to do better. I’ll let you know a secret, when I was growing up I lived with a lot of people like her and they hurt me too.” Goten stared at the older male in shock. Someone hurt Mr. Vegeta like him? But he was so strong!

“Really?” Vegeta nodded as the cub processed that information. “Did it ever get better?”

“It did, I still have things that remind me of it, and I’m trying my best to stop being mean to everyone. I lived with those people a very long time, and it made me very angry at everyone. It took your Dad, Gohan, Bulma, and Trunks to help me stop being so angry. I’m still getting working on that. You are a very strong person Goten, she was the bad person and monster not you. Every time you start to think about what all happened with her, I want you to remind yourself that.”

“Ok.”

“I’m sorry I hurt your feelings, I promise I’ll only call you Goten from now on until you tell me so. I know you are mad at Gohan right now, but he’s sorry too. Trunks was mad at him for not noticing everything and he was very hurt when you said he was like Chi-chi. Your dad and I agree with him that you shouldn’t have tantrums when you want something because that is bad behavior but Gohan shouldn’t have made such a big deal over you getting to hold Vegito’s toy.” He explained floating to the ground with Goten held to his chest. “Your little brother had a different idea about his toy.” He explained picking up the soft dragon. “He wants you to have the dragon because you’re a good big brother and he wants to share with you.” 

Goten looked at the toy with wide, watery eyes. He hesitantly reached out for the dragon afraid that this was some kind of cruel joke. When Vegeta still held the toy out for the boy to take, the half saiyan snatched it out of the alpha's hand. He immediately started to cuddle with it.

“Thank you, Mr. Vegeta!” The cub smiled brightly with his tear stained cheeks and red eyes. A happy purr came from his throat as he rubbed his head under the dominant's chin. He got a deeper rumble from the fallen prince as the arms around him tightened just a bit making the young saiyan feel safe.

“You don't have to call me that, Goten. We're family, remember?” Vegeta found himself saying without any thought. His statement surprised him, but he found it to be true nonetheless. “You and Gohan are as much my sons as Trunks and Vegito.”

Goten pulled back and looked at the alpha with wide eyes once again. Despite Vegeta's attitude towards him in the past, he had always viewed the man as a farther figure before his Daddy came back. He used to wish they would let him stay with them and be his parents.

“Can…can I call you dad, too?” The cub’s voice was so tiny, that it made the alpha's heart twist in his chest. He watched the dominant for any negative reactions to his question as he held the dragon in a death grip. He could smell the fear of the young cub.

“What would you call Kakarot, then? He is your dad.” The alpha tilted his head with an amused yet confused expression.

“Hmmm…” Goten put on a thoughtful look that was almost as adorable as Vegito. “Oh! I'll call him Tama! You're dad, and he'll be tama!”

Vegeta chuckled at the excitement in the boy's words. At least he wasn't crying anymore, and he felt like Kakarot would be just fine with this new arrangement.

“Very well, son.” Goten beamed at his stepfather as he purred and leaned into his new dad’s chest while cuddling his toy. “Let's go back inside, your tama was worried about you.”

The fallen prince carried the boy back in the palace with his chestnut tail wound around a smaller black one.


	28. Chapter 28

Goku looked at himself in the mirror with a frown on his face. 

A couple of servants were bustling around his seated form, helping him get ready for the unveiling of Vegito and the Kalious Festival. The beta was unused to receiving the amount of attention he was getting at the moment, and he fidgeted as a female saiyan locked a golden arm cuff on his upper arm.

“Geta?” He looked in the mirror at his mate. The alpha was bouncing a now one-month-old Vegito in his arms as he watched Goku with half lidded eyes. “Is all of this really necessary? I feel ridiculous!” He protested as a thick gold chain was slipped around his neck.

“That is the absolute last thing you are Kakarot.” Vegeta all but purred walking over to his mate. The dark red and gold embroidered silken fabric of his top was draped diagonally across his chest exposing the beta’s well-defined chest and arms, which were adorned with gold arm cuffs and wristbands. With the dark pants and boots, the gold of his numerous accessories were further accented. A thin gold circlet with a round cut ruby resting at his hairline only made him more regal in the alpha’s opinion. His mate deserved to dress like this every day.

“Geta, I don’t need all this.” Goku complained. “It’s too much and I feel silly.”

“You look beautiful.” Vegeta said into his mate’s neck with a low growl as he kissed him. His mouth was watering at the sight of the submissive, and he had to resist the urge to nibble on that corded neck under his lips. “You’ll be able to take some of this off after the presentation ceremony. I’ll be more than happy to help with that.”

“Geta!” Goku blushed furiously.

“Dad! Look at our outfits!” Trunks called out as he and Goten ran in with Sushi on their heels. Both boys were wearing brown pants and sleeveless tunics pinned at the shoulders with gold broaches, Trunks a royal blue and Goten a dark red, with simple gold embroidery on the necks and hemline. They also had golden arm cuffs as well.

“I match you, Tama! They even got something for Sushi!” Goten chirped as he climbed onto the bed showing off his new clothes. Sure enough the panzaon was sporting a silver collar that had some gold etchings on it as it sat beside the bed.

“That we do, Goten. You both look great!” Goku smiled at the boys as he put some distance between him and his mate, thankful for the distraction. Vegeta smirked, there was always later. Goku was so happy Goten was back to his bubbly self and taking to Vegeta being his dad so well. The black haired boy beamed back before looking over at Vegeta with a confused look.

“Dad? Why haven't you changed yet?” 

“This is my outfit for the ceremony, Goten,” mumbled Vegeta as he looked down at the black and crimson armor that covered a full black body suit. Charcoal gloves and boots finished the look. He didn't have any jewelry or fancy etchings in his armor, but he did have a red cape clasped to the crimson shoulder guards of his armor.

“He'll have something different for the tournament. This what his father wanted him to wear for now.” The beta easily put the subject to rest as he scratched Sushi’s head making the lizard purr.

“Is everyone ready?” Bardock walked in at that moment, much to Vegeta's relief.

The older man had on his normal colored armor and suit, but he had silver etchings in the black plates. Silver upper arm cuffs, ear cuffs and a chain were also incorporated into the alpha's attire.

“Just about, Father. We need to finish getting Gito ready. Where's Gohan and Raditz?” Goku took the baby from his mate's arms and quickly changed the boy. 

“Raditz has to work with Nappa during the festival, and Tarble is helping Gohan right now. I swear, it's about time those two started to court. They were driving me crazy with the mooning and looks.” Bardock scoffed as he crossed his arms.

“Tell me about it.” Vegeta snorted. “I was about to lock them in a closet if that went on any longer.” The cubs giggled at the idea of locking their brother in a closet with Tarble. Maybe they could still do that?

The beta chuckled as he put the finishing touches on his baby's outfit.

Vegito was in a mini version of his tama's clothing, but instead of red and brown, the baby had blue and black and his tunic had sleeves. A thin, plain gold circlet was placed on the cub’s head, and he giggled when Goku ruffled his bangs to get it on. They just hoped the cub would leave it alone long enough to get through the ceremony now that he could better control what he grabbed.

The beta gave his family a critical eye over as he checked them one last time for anything out of place. Seeing that everyone was appropriately dressed, no matter how uncomfortable the amount of extravagance was, Goku ushered them out into the hall.

Bardock lead the way to the throne room where Vegito would be presented for the first time to Vegetasei.

They met up with Gohan and Tarble in the antechamber to the side of the throne room. Gohan was dressed in a royal purple and gold top similar to Goku’s except for a cream colored sleeveless tunic underneath it. His pants matched the sleeveless tunic and were belted with a gold sash. He had much less embroidery on his top but it went nicely with the slender gold circlet, arm cuffs, and gold chain that came with his status. What surprised Goku was the single gold hoop earring in his son’s ear adorned with an amethyst chip.

Tarble was no less impressive having chosen to have silver adornments, and was wearing a royal blue tunic with delicate silver embroidery, similar in style of the cub’s with longer sleeves that were connected only by single silver buttons spaced every few inches. A maroon stole was draped over one shoulder before wrapping around his waist to serve as a belt of sorts for the longer tunic that fell to mid thigh over his black pants. His circlet was twisted silver bearing three small sapphire stones in the center. His arm cuffs peaked from gaps in his tunic’s sleeves and the silver chain stood out plainly against the dark hues.

“Wow! You look pretty Uncle Tarble.” Goten said running over to the other beta with Trunks. The younger prince felt his cheeks flush at the compliment.

“Hey what about your older brother?” Gohan asked teasingly.

“You look nice I guess.” Trunks said flatly. “Uncle Tarble still looks prettier.” Goku laughed at the kids.

“You look very handsome, Gohan.” The older beta looked over his eldest with pride.

“Dad!” Gohan looked in awe at his father’s clothes. He never saw his father so dressed up. “You look amazing.”

“I still think its too much.” Goku said with a blush. “I could have done without most of the jewelry, but Vegeta and his Father insisted it was necessary for the ceremony.”

“Of course it's necessary, Karo.” Vegeta huffed as he crossed his arms. It annoyed him a bit that his mate had no desire for extravagant items, but that was something that attracted the alpha to him in the first place. “Its traditional for the Prince Consort to be dressed as you are. Father told me that my tama went through the same thing for my ceremony.”

“I got to match Tama, Gohan! And Trunks kinda matches Vegito!” Goten bounced on the balls of his feet as his tail wagged behind him.

“Trunks, are you alright with father making Vegito the heir to the throne?” Tarble looked down to his eldest nephew with a raised brow. “You are Vegeta's first born after all.” 

“Nah.” The lavender haired boy didn't even hesitate to answer. “I really don't want to do something like that. I'd much rather be a scientist like my grandpa back on Earth.”

“You all look splendid.” King Vegeta voice cut off any further questions as he looked over the group that consisted of his family. He was in full royal armor. White chest and side plates almost glowed in comparison to the dark red of the shoulder guards, abdominal plates, and hip guards. A black cape and bodysuit made the armor, white gloves and boots stand out in the low lighting of the antechamber. He had the royal symbol of his house emblazoned with gold over his heart, his gold medallion had been polished so that it reflected any bit of light, and a gold crown covered in rubies, sapphires, and amethysts finished it off.

Looking over the king made Goku realize that his outfit could have been worse, and he felt a little grateful that he wasn't dressed like his father in law. It suited the K. Vegeta just fine, but the submissive would have felt more like a walking jewelry box than he already did.

With one last look over his family, the monarch headed into the room to get the ceremony started. The crowd was starting to get impatient.

King Vegeta walked into the throne room and addressed the multitude gathered within the palace, but the group in the antechamber couldn't make out what was being said. They did hear when everyone but Goku and Vegeta were called to come in for the ceremony.

Goku looked through the doorway behind the king to see the amount of saiyans scattered throughout the throne room, and he felt a sudden case of nerves. His arms tightened around his cub as instinctively he took a step closer to his mate. He hadn't been out in front of so many people in a long time.

“Geta, I don't think I can do this.” The submissive whispered. His tail began to puff up and twist behind him as he took another step closer to Vegeta. He looked like he was about to bolt back to his rooms.

“Karo, everything's going to be fine.” The alpha wrapped an arm around Goku's waist as his tail coiled around the other’s. “I'll be right beside you every step of the way. Remember? I won't let anything happen to you. Besides, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Everyone loves you.”

The beta still looked a bit nervous, but he did give Vegeta a nod. The dominant squeezed his waist as he pressed a kiss to Goku's temple. He felt something warm in his chest when the submissive nuzzled back to the affectionate touch. 

When the deep voice of the king called for Kakarot and Vegeta, the beta went rigid again. The alpha coaxed the other to relax as he guided Goku and Vegito to the throne room. The submissive paused at the doorway for a few seconds to gather his courage and take a deep breath before he and his mate walked into the throne room with heads held high, their tails still joined together.

Immediately came mixed reactions from the crowd. Goku got cheers and applause while Vegeta got silent, glaring sneers and jealous looks. The confusing mix was continued until the couple knelt in front of the king and the monarch held up a hand to silence the noise.

“Today we celebrate and honor Lord Kalious, the king of our gods. I feel it is only fitting that today we also recognize the future leaders of the saiyan race.” K. Vegeta said full of pride. “As all of you are aware Prince Consort Kakarot gave birth to a fine, strong young cub. It is the wish of all men to see their children and grandchildren succeed them, but alas it is rarely the case. I have no doubt my grandson will someday rule with strength and wisdom granted by our sovereign but I shall not be there to see it I fear, such is the nature of kings.”

“It is with that in mind that I must name another as my heir apparent. My heir is one who has sacrificed much for our people, and achieved what was once thought to be a legend but is now a reality. He has repeatedly endured much more than any man should ever encounter and become all the stronger for it. I have no doubt he will lead our race well until my grandson is ready. From this day forward, I name my successor and heir apparent, my son Vegeta.”

The entire gathering was shocked at the king’s proclamation, although a few understood the decision. Vegeta had worked hard to get his mate to forgive him of his past deeds. The determination and length the alpha went to impresses a multitude of saiyans.

Vegeta was extremely shocked. While he knew this ceremony was for their son, he never thought something like this would happen. The alpha looked over to his mate to see if the beta had any idea his father was planning this, but he got an equally shocked look from Goku.

“Many of you no doubt question my choice in light of events that have transpired. My son is mortal and like us all has made mistakes and learned from them. In some of his failings I fear I must bear the blame. I know well of the whispers many have said about my son’s time as Frieza’s “pet”. Very few of our people understand just what living under that tyrant entailed both for us and my son; how much he sacrificed for the well-being of our planet that was ultimately done in vain. Such slander and belittlement of my son’s sacrifices shames our race before our gods. Vegeta knows well the price of poor leadership, and his experiences will only make him a stronger ruler. I have complete faith in both my son Vegeta and his mate Prince Consort Kakarot, the savior of our people, to lead the saiyan race into a new era of prosperity.”

The majority of the saiyans that mocked Vegeta adopted looks of guilt and shame, and a few made inner vows to show their new reinstated prince their gratitude and loyalty. The monarch gestured for a small servant off to the side to come up.

He was carrying a purple pillow with a gold circlet that was thicker than Goku's. It had one large round cut ruby with two smaller rubies on either side of the main gem. Once the male was bowing before the king with the headpiece outstretched, K. Vegeta took the circlet and placed it on his eldest son's brow.

“As Crown Prince, it is my honor to ask my son and the Prince Consort to present and name their child and heir who will rule after them!” K. Vegeta lifted both arms at the exclamation, and a loud rush of noise followed the gesture.

Vegeta and Goku got to their feet, and they turned to look over the crowd. Just below the couple was the rest of their family, and Trunks and Goten were cheering for their father with happy faces.

It was slightly overwhelming for the prince as he took it all in. This was something he thought he would never have, and it seemed like a dream. 

The alpha of the pair cleared his throat as he took a step forward with a raised hand. Just like with his father, the crowd quieted down to hear what the dominant had to say.

“My people, this is a day I honestly believed would never come.” Vegeta said solemnly. “Our race has gone through so much over the years. We have suffered at the hands of the Cold Empire who used us as their cannon fodder in their effort to conquer the Universe! We died for those who only saw us as unintelligent beasts! We were almost driven to the point of extinction by those very bastards! Every bit of freedom was taken from us, and we could do nothing against them!”

“Thanks to the Prince Consort, we are now free to make our own choices. We are free to prove to the Universe that we are more than just mindless, bloodthirsty fighters!” Many of those who died under the Colds cheered at his words. “Prince Consort Kakarot is what we should all strive to be! He has saved the fate of our race, and he has gifted us a new ruler for the future generations of saiyans that will follow in our footsteps.”

Vegeta turned to his blushing mate, and he gathered his son out of Goku's arms. The cub looked up at his father with wide eyes as he took in everything around him. The alpha held him up in display to the saiyans gathered in the palace.

“I present to you, my son and heir to the throne, Prince Vegito!”

The baby looked confused for only a moment before scowling out at the now roaring crowd with a tiny glare on his face. His ki sparked around him in a dazzling display of blue lightening as his mahogany tail puffed up behind him at his dislike for the noise.

After a few minutes of the small display, the prince handed the cub back to his tama. The child smiled at Goku and clapped his hands before reaching for the golden circlet on his head. The beta gently intercepted Vegito's tiny fingers before he could touch the metal.

Vegeta smiled at the two before looking back at the saiyans that were amazed with the baby's power for being as young as he was. Excitement spread throughout the throne room at the thought of such a strong heir.

“Let the Kalious Festival begin!”


	29. Chapter 29

Just beyond the palace near the center of the city was a coliseum that major events took place in, which was currently the Sun Tournament honoring the Great Kalious, and every seat was taken. It was a massive ancient structure that reminded Goku of ruins back on earth. It was carved from a pale gold colored stone similar to that of the palace and shone under the twin suns of Vegetasei.

Goku looked around the coliseum in absolute awe as he held a squirming Vegito who was looking around as well. After the ceremony, he was able to get rid of the jewelry that he was wearing save for the gold circlet on his head. He honestly didn’t mind that piece of jewelry too much, and his mate had rather strongly insisted that he kept it on, at least for the festival. He also changed Vegito into something more comfortable to the young cub for the long day outside, and easier to clean. The cub really did match his big brother now except for the black pants.

Vegeta had escorted the beta and their three boys to the imperial box so they could watch the tournament with K. Vegeta and Tarble at the conclusion of the preliminaries. Goku wanted to join in, but he was a bit rusty due to his pregnancy. The submissive needed to build up his strength again before he could take place in a saiyan tournament. Goku was content to watch this time around considering tournaments were rather common all things considered.

The entire stadium was packed full of people who were shouting for the matches to begin, and the beta could feel the noise vibrate under his feet even from their place at the arena level on a slightly raised dais beside the arena itself, located at the center of the field offering the best view of everything.

All three adults had their own thrones, all with cushions and shaded by the red canopy emblazoned with a golden sun for the festival, supported by four carved pillars at the corners of the dais. The large cushions provided for the boys were empty. The older cubs were looking over the edge of the half wall in excitement, their tails wagging in anticipation. Sushi had curled up at Goku's feet, and was keeping an eye on Trunks and Goten as they chatted about the competitors.

“Tama! There's Dad, Gohan, and Grandpa!” Goten pointed to the trio in the arena among the dozens of other saiyans. 

Goku perked up at the mention of his family, and followed his son’s finger with eager eyes.

The fact his family was all in the final matches, filled Goku with pride and longing to be down there with them. Dark eyes landed on his mate who was now garbed in only a pair of loose black pants, a crimson sash that served as a belt and gold upper arm cuffs revealing his status as a royal.

Bardock was similarly dressed, wearing deep green pants with black wrist wrappings and his trademark bandana. His father had kept the silver armbands as well it looked.

Gohan had reverted back to his purple gi pants and paired it with an open maroon vest that fell just above his son’s abs. Next to him Tarble sighed softly and Goku could only assume Tarble was likewise enjoying the view of his chosen mate judging by the blush coloring his cheeks. The other beta had followed Goku’s example and removed all but his necklace and the silver adorning his top except for a gold bracelet the older beta had a strong feeling belonged to his oldest son with how often Tarble touched it.

One of the arm cuffs on Vegeta's arm glinted in the light as he moved to speak to Bardock about something, and Goku took another look at his mate thinking back to their brief time alone before the alpha had his preliminary match. He shivered at the memory, and a part of him hoped that the prince would wipe the floor with the competition quickly so they could get back to where they were just a couple of hours ago.

Flashback 

“Tarble?” Goku called out to his brother in law. “Would you mind keeping an eye on Vegito? I'd like to take some of this off before the tournament. I don't know how your father can stand to wear this much.”

“That's my father for you. He lives to show off like this!” The younger submissive giggled as he took the cub, he truly loved to take care of his youngest nephew.

Goku flashed the other a grateful smile as he headed back to his chambers. He fiddled with one of his golden wristbands as he passed down the hallways. The beta just couldn't get over why he had to wear so much jewelry and fine clothes. He was afraid that he would ruin his outfit if he stayed in it too long.

“Karo…” Vegeta's slightly raspy voice made Goku's head snap up. The alpha was leaning against one of the walls with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. “You just couldn't wait, could you?”

The submissive felt his cheeks burn, but he didn't deny it.

The couple walked back to Goku's rooms in silence with the beta watching the older saiyan out of the corner of his eye.

As soon as the two walked through the door, Vegeta started to pull the armor over his head. He threw the plated mess over to a chair, and he turned to look at the beta with a heated look in his eyes.

“Care to help me change for the tournament after I get you out of some of that jewelry?” The question was purred as he prowled over to the submissive.

Goku swallowed audibly as he took a step back

“G-Geta…we don't have time for this. We need to hurry up and get ready.” 

“Humph. We've got time.” Vegeta smirked as the beta passed him, and as soon as he saw Goku's guard drop, he pounced.

The dominant growled as his mouth devoured his mate's in rough passion. Vegeta pressed the younger saiyan against the wall just shy of Goku's bedroom, and pinned him there.

The beta gasped at the sudden move, and the prince wasted no time in licking into that delectable mouth. He groaned at the tastes that mixed over his tongue. 

Goku placed his hands on Vegeta's shoulders with the intention of pushing the alpha away, but the scent of cloves in the air around him had his resistance crumbling. He sucked on the tongue that was curling around his, and he melted in his mate's arms.

Vegeta forced himself away and started to lick and nibble on that corded neck that had his mouth watering earlier. The pale column of flesh was sweet under his tongue, and a breathy sigh came from above the older man's head. The gold chain blocked his path, and the prince let out a growl in frustration. 

Goku whined at the loss of that hot set of lips when Vegeta pulled back to get rid of the necklace. As soon as it was gone, the alpha pulled the red cloth aside and buried his teeth in the submissive's shoulder over Goku’s mark. His hands devastated the cuffs and wristbands as he trailed his fingers along the well-muscled arms of the younger man.

“Ah! Ge-Geta!” Goku lifted one of his legs to wrap around one of the other's hips. He pulled his mate closer with his arms and leg.

Vegeta smirked around the skin in his mouth, and the prince slipped one hand to rest above the base of Goku's tail. He used that hand to press their hips together in a slow grind. The alpha could feel his need growing at the sounds and moves from Goku.

One calloused hand slipped inside of the gold and red cloth draped over Goku's chest, and the sensation made the younger man arch closer to that devilish touch. The taller warrior was about to drag Vegeta into his room where the bed was, but the touching, grinding, licking, and biting made it impossible for him to do so.

A bang from the door made the couple jump and separate from each other.

“Hurry up, Vegeta! The preliminary matches are starting in 15 minutes!” Bardock shouted from the closed door. 

Goku bared his teeth at the door with a sneer and went to pull his mate back to him, but the prince had already stepped out of reach.

“He's right, Karo. We don't want to be late.” Vegeta chuckled at the pout growing on the submissive's face. “Don't worry. We will finish this up tonight; we can celebrate my victory.” He said leaning closer to his mate and catching the beta’s hands before they grasped the gold circlet. “Leave it. I want that to be the very last thing I help you remove tonight.” The low whisper had Goku's face lighting up scarlet, and he rushed into his bedroom with a squeak.

Vegeta's laughter followed him all the way to the bathroom.

Flashback End

King Vegeta stood walked to the edge of the dais and raised his arms to quiet his people.

“I present to you our fighters for Sun Tournament! Each of these twelve fighters fought valiantly to earn their place in this competition. By the end of the night we will have our next champion! Let the Tournament begin!”

Goten and Trunks sat down after looking the screen containing the tournament brackets as two fighters approached the center of the arena. Neither were their family or friends. Goten sighed before flopping back on his cushion. Goku frowned as he looked away from the fight.

“Huh? What's wrong, Goten?”

“Gohan, Grandpa, and Dad all have matches after everyone else. I'm bored.” The cub complained. “Its not like anyone else is going to win the tournament and I really only wanna see Grandpa, Dad, and Gohan fight.” Trunks nodded pulling his legs into a butterfly stretch.

“We all know one of them will win and it’s not as fun watching since we can’t compete.” Goku smiled in sympathy with his sons. This wasn’t as entertaining for him either. Tarble turned to face them having heard the conversation.

“How about we check out the festival? We probably have an hour or two before there’s an intermission announced for the spectators.” The younger beta suggested. “Maybe we can find some games. We could always get some food if not.”

“Please!” Both chibis jumped up and were giving the beta puppy dog eyes. Vegito giggled at his brothers and clapped his little hands. Goku laughed as he got to his feet with Sushi standing beside him.

“Sounds like fun. I wanna see what kind of games saiyan’s play.”

With that the betas and children entered the city around the arena, Trunks and Goten continually running ahead to look at the numerous booths. Not long after joining the crowds Raditz appeared in his armor.

“What are you doing out here?”

“Checking out the festival.” Goku said showing Vegito an orange flower from one of the decorations. “The boys and I were bored. And before you say anything, I’m with Tarble, the boys and Sushi.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything Kakarot.” Tarble snickered at the faint blush coloring the alpha’s cheeks.

“Raditz.”

“Ok fine, but I just want you safe Kakarot. We all do.” He said as they followed the two demi saiyans. Sushi, excited by their running jumped after them before scooping the two onto his back. Both children squealed in excitement as the panzaon leapt about the street before they reached an open plaza. 

“You don't have to keep watching me all the time, brother. Geta told me my scent won't attract as many alphas as before now that I'm not pregnant anymore and the fact we completed our bond helps too.” The beta rested a hand on his hip as he looked up at the long haired saiyan. “I know all of you worry, but I can handle myself. Just start to back off a bit, ok?”

Several mothers and pregnant betas were watching children older than Trunks and Goten playing a variety of games littering the plaza. Several children shrieked at the site of the predator and ran for their parents. A few closer to Gohan’s age watched the two boys before the scrambled off Sushi’s back and ran up to them. Goku couldn’t hear what they were saying.

“Is it safe?” A young pregnant beta and his mate came over and asked Goku. “We heard the young princes had tamed a panzaon, is it safe?”

“Sushi?” Goku asked surprised. “Well yeah, he protects the boys but he’s mostly harmless. He’s like a dog honestly.” A delighted squeal distracted the concerned parents. An older girl was riding Sushi sitting behind Trunks and Goten. Other kids immediately came over after the panzaon finished a lap around the plaza.

“Kakarot, I think your sons just became a main attraction with the lizard.” Raditz said with a frown, he still hadn’t warmed up to the boy’s pet. Vegito giggled watching the older kids clapping and pointing at his brothers who were involved in some kind of tag now as they chased after the older kids with a glowing ball in hand.

“Looks that way.” Goku said scratching the back of his head.

Eventually Goku and Tarble ended up sitting with a few betas and expecting mothers while the children played and explored the plaza booths that were more geared towards teens and kids as much as it could be with how few there were. Raditz was never very far from Goku despite being on duty. Finally an announcement was made announcing the intermission’s beginning.

“I'll get us something to eat before it gets too crowded, Kakarot. Raditz, come and help me with the food. Be right back!” Tarble took off with a wave to one of the food stands with Raditz trailing behind him.

Goku smiled at the sight of his burly brother following the slender beta, and the sound of Trunks and Goten laughing as they played with the older cubs made his smile wider. Everything looked so peaceful and happy, yet the submissive couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. 

He looked around the square trying to find the source of the feeling, but all he saw were happy faces and clear skies.


	30. Chapter 30

There was a loud cheer as a bald headed saiyan threw his opponent over his shoulder. The larger shorthaired male landed flat on his back with a bone rattling sound that made the audience go wild. It was the final match before the royal family members had any of their next matches.

The smaller saiyan immediately pounced on the other to hold him down for a win, but he was thrown off by the shorthaired man’s pure strength. Both saiyans scrambled to their feet and circled each other, looking for an opening.

The noise made Vegito stir in his tama's arms, but the child didn't wake from his slumber. Goku, Tarble, the boys, and Sushi had managed to make it back after the intermission to see this fight. It was down to deciding the semifinalists, and the current match was going to determine who was fighting against Gohan in the next round.

Bardock and Vegeta had won their rounds, and were placed against each other. It would be a fight to remember, and everyone was looking forward to the rematch between the powerful alphas.

At the beginning of the match, Trunks and Goten had been excited and keep up a constant stream of chatter, but as the fight progressed, both cubs had come to settle on the large cushion they shared with droopy eyes and sleepy yawns.

The older beta shook his head with a smile as he watched the boys’ attempts to fight off the drowsiness despite it being around early evening. Those two must have worn themselves out playing with the other saiyan teens and kids. It was a shame that they were going to miss the rest of the matches.

“Tarble?” Goku looked over at the younger prince that was hiding a yawn behind his palm. “Would you mind helping me get the cubs to bed? I don't think they can stay awake any longer.” Personally Goku couldn’t blame them. The heat was starting to make him a little drowsy as well. The walk and cool air of the palace would feel nice and wake him back up for the other fights.

“Of course, Kakarot.” The younger saiyan stood up and helped Sushi get the boys on the panzaon’s back while Goku gathered up the baby supplies he had brought for Vegito. “We'll be back soon, father.” 

The king waved a distracted hand, not really paying that much attention to the submissive saiyans as they left the box. He was too engrossed in the ongoing fight, and like the rest of the crowd, he was looking forward to the next fight.

The streets were surprisingly empty as they walked to the palace. Goku could only assume everyone was at the tournament or at home seeing how most of the vendors had closed their booths. ‘Probably to watch the match between Father and Geta.’ He thought amused.

Tarble let loose a jaw cracking yawn as they approached an open area near the palace. The cubs were blissfully asleep on the panzaon’s back clinging to one another in their sleep.

“Are you ok?” Goku asked concerned as he shifted Gito to his other arm.

“I’m,” he yawned again covering his mouth, “fine, Kakarot. Just really tired all of a sudden.” The small beta said reassuring him with a small smile. “Its probably just the heat and all the time in the sun today.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Something was starting to bother Goku as they walked. His instincts were on edge, and he couldn’t figure out why. The hair on his neck stood on end as he scanned the street around him trying not to yawn himself. Why was he so tired? His heart nearly stopped when Tarble stumbled to the ground next to one of the statues they had to pass.

“Tarble!” He knelt next to the other beta concerned. Tarble blinked owlishly as he shook his head to clear it.

“I’m ok I think, I just can’t shake off this fatigue. I must be more tired than I thought.” He said sleepily as he leaned against the statue behind him. Warning bells were screaming in Goku’s head as the smaller beta’s eyes slid closed again. His free hand shook his friend only for the young prince to not respond.

“Tarble, wake up!” Goku shouted. “Something’s, something’s….” Fatigue slammed into Goku hard causing him to sway on his feet as he stood up. The beta whimpered as he recognized the source of his unease. Someone had drugged them. His grip tightened on Vegito as be began to stumble back towards the arena. He had to get help. His vision blurred as he bumped into someone and stumbled backwards. Sushi growled behind Goku causing the beta’s insides to twist in fear. Fighting against the fatigue he looked up as a hand gently grasped his cheek.

“Hello, Kakarot.”

+++++

Vegeta watched the fight before him disinterestedly. He already knew he’d face neither of them considering the odds of Gohan actually losing. He glanced towards the imperial box cursing his lack of visibility. His tail swayed in agitation behind him as he crossed his arms feeling a sudden unease.

“You’re not nervous are you, Vegeta? Worried I’ll kick your ass a second time in front of Kakarot.” Bardock teased giving the younger a playful shove. Vegeta smirked.

“You wish, old man. This fight is going to be completely different. I have no intension of losing to you or Gohan in this tournament.”

“We’ll see, Vegeta.” Gohan said looking away from his potential opponents. “Maybe I’ll win the whole thing.”

“In your dreams, squirt.” Bardock chided as he wrapped an arm around his grandson’s shoulders. “Or do you want to win so badly so you can impress a certain beta?”

“N-no.” Gohan flushed in embarrassment as he tried to stammer out his denial.

“Please, you moon over my brother like a love sick puppy.” Vegeta smirked.

“Yeah, kiddo.” Bardock said giving the teen a nooggie before the teen shrugged off his grandfather. “Besides you’ll still win even if you lose the tournament. Tarble seems the type to help nurse you back to health and “comfort” you over your loss.” He and Vegeta laughed as the teen went from a pink blush to full on scarlet.

“We don’t do anything like that!”

“Good.” Vegeta said in all seriousness. “I do not want grandchildren any time soon. If you and Tarble do want cubs, you will not repeat my mistakes and you will both be mated. Son or not, I promise you won’t like the results if I find out you got my little brother pregnant without being mated.” The site of Vegeta’s fangs sticking out slightly sent a shiver down Gohan’s spine.

“Yes, sir.”

“We will now begin the next match. Will Vegeta and Bardock report to the arena!” The announcer was just barely heard over the roar of the crowd.

“Did you really have to scare him like that?” Bardock asked as they entered the arena.

“That’s one of the perks of being a big brother I’ve always enjoyed. I trust Gohan to do the right thing but sometimes a reminder never hurts.” His eyes landed on the imperial box to see not only Kakarot missing but the boys and his brother as well.

“Relax, they probably just went to the bathroom or something.” Bardock said noticing the younger’s unease. “You know they wouldn’t miss this fight.” Vegeta nodded as he pushed down the urge to look for his mate and fell into a ready stance across from his father in law.

+++++

Goku jerked away from the alpha uneasy as he tried to shake off the drugs. The lustful look in the alpha’s eyes was setting off alarms in his mind. He didn't get as far from the dark skinned saiyan as he would have liked, and he felt something sting on the side of his neck where his mating bite was located. His free hand reflexively grabbed the stinging skin as he felt for damage.

“What did…you…do?!” His words were slurring as he felt his awareness fade faster and his ki virtually vanished. His heart was hammering in his chest out of fear.

“Nothing you'll need to be concerned about. It's just something to help me make you mine.” Goku felt terror run up his spine, and he tried to stumble back further. Unfortunately, his legs refused to obey his commands.

Turles smirked at the submissive as he watched him try to fight off the drug. He was impressed that the other was still awake after he had ingested the sedative the dominant had slipped in the food Tarble had gotten earlier, and the serum he had just injected into the beta. Turles took a step forward.

“Stay…away…” Goku fell to his knees with his arms trembling to hold Vegito to his chest. Everything was slowly getting dark around the edges of the beta's vision, and he felt fear for not only himself but his cub as well.

“Go to sleep, Kakarot.” The dominant watched as Goku slumped on his side with his arms going limp around Vegito before kneeling beside the beta and gently grasping his cheek again. “When you wake up, we will be long gone from Vegetasei, and you'll never have to worry about your brats again.”

“G…Geta…” Goku whimpered as he lost the battle, and he sank into darkness. 

‘Damn brat. Should be my son, not Vegeta's.’ Turles thought as he looked down at the small bundle with a sneer on his face, and he held an open palm out with a ki blast forming. He aimed it at the sleeping baby, but a flash of black made him hiss and jerk back. There was a crunch as strong jaws snapped a piece of purple armor off one of his hip guards. 

Sushi was standing over the fallen beta with the baby blanket that the cub was wrapped in held in his teeth as a growl rumbled out of his chest. The panzaon had slipped Trunks and Goten off his back to rest beside Tarble, and now he was glaring at the alpha.

“Damn lizard.” Turles hissed out. He took a quick glance around him to see if anyone had noticed what was happening. He knew that he needed to move fast if he wanted to get away. If any of the guards found him right now, he would never get Kakarot. 

This was his only chance to get the submissive away from Vegeta, and he’ll be damned if he lost this chance because of a stupid animal. Turles’ dark eyes flickered over to the half saiyans and the younger prince still knocked out cold against the statue, and a dark grin spread over his face as the ki in his hands got brighter.

He fired a couple of blasts towards the two older boys and Tarble. Sushi moved quickly and knocked one energy orb away from his charges with his tail. The lizard’s agility allowed him to land on his front legs with his back taking care of the other orb.

When the reptile spun around to face the threat, the dark skinned saiyan was gone as was Goku. All that was left was the bits of purple armor on the ground from where the reptile had bit off when Vegito was threatened, and the circlet that the submissive had on his head.

Sushi whined as he looked around, but he couldn't find the beta. He gently set the baby down and nudged Tarble and the boys to see if any one of them would wake up. Tarble grunted and shifted, but his eyes remained closed, and the cubs didn't even twitch.

A coo came from the blanket that Vegito was in, and Sushi came over to see bright eyes looking up at him. He grinned and reached up for the pretty collar that the reptile had around his neck. Sushi purred at the cub, and took the blanket back in his teeth. Vegito giggled as he swayed slightly.

Seeing that none of the other three saiyans were going to wake up any time soon, the panzaon took off towards the arena with Vegito hanging from his jaws.

+++++

Vegeta ducked under a punch from Bardock and countered with a jab of his own. The two alphas had been going strong for almost an hour now. Both had grins on their faces and sweat running down their forms.

The saiyans broke apart and landed a few yards away from each other. Vegeta readied himself for another exchange before he froze as the sense of something being completely wrong filled him. Bardock’s fist slammed into his unguarded face and threw Vegeta into the dirt.

“What the hell, Vegeta, you totally spaced out on me. Get your head in the fight.” Bardock growled. “Its no fun if you lose because you’re daydreaming.”

“Something’s wrong.” The younger said getting to his feet. Looking back at the box he frowned not seeing his mate. Cold fear washed over him again.

“I told you there’s nothing to worry about, Vegeta.” Bardock said in annoyance as he dropped from his stance. “It’s all in your head and you are over reacting as usual.”

“I am not imagining this!”

There was a panicked shout, and both men turned to see Sushi leap into the arena headed straight for Vegeta. The panzaon skid to a stop in front of the alpha, growling around the bundle in his mouth at the approaching guards.

“Stop!” Vegeta snarled angrily at the guards before moving to his sons’ pet. The lizard whined and thrust his head and bundle at the prince. Vegeta grabbed the blanket and revealed his youngest. His blood ran colder than ice as everything sunk in. Kakarot would never….

“Vegeta, what-” Bardock froze seeing Vegito and understanding dawned on him.

“Where?” It came out almost strangled as Vegeta held his now whimpering son close. “Where are the others? Where is Kakarot?” He asked the creature. “Show me!” Sushi chirped before racing back the way he came with Vegeta on his heels.

“Assemble the guard, now! NO ONE LEAVES THE ARENA!” Bardock shouted angrily. “Raditz! Nappa!”

Within minutes Vegeta reached the boys and Tarble. Sushi whined pawing at the ground near Goku’s circlet and pieces of purple armor before going over he nudge Tarble and the boys again. Vegeta was torn between grabbing the circlet belonging to his mate and tracking him down or going to his other children. A groan from his brother at Sushi’s urging drew him to the boys. He was relieved to see them all breathing and unharmed. Tarble’s eyes weakly fluttered open as Vegeta called his name.

“G-geta?” The beta’s words were slurred as he tried to wake up.

“Tarble, where is Kakarot! What happened?!”

“So…tired…” Tarble said slowly. “G-going…” his eyes drifted to the boys beside him. “Taking boys to bed.”

“What happened?!” Vegeta asked again as his panic grew.

“Can’t remember.” Tarble said shaking his head and wincing. “I couldn’t stay awake. Kakarot….he was worried about something…before I blacked out.” Gohan landed beside them and immediately checked over Tarble and his brothers. Torn over his actions, Vegeta placed Vegito in his brother’s lap before going over to the circlet and kneeling. The acrid scent of burnt coffee burned in his nostrils mixed with the scent of Kakarot’s fear drew a feral snarl from the alpha as his power exploded out of him uncontrollably shattering glass wooden structures around them as he went super saiyan.

“Vegeta!” Frozen chips of ice locked onto his now near panicked stepson.

“You do not leave them,” he pointed to their family, “for anything until they are safe in the palace and under guard.”

“What about you?” Gohan asked as his instincts warned him to submit.

“I’m going hunting.” He snarled launching after the foul stench with enough force to shatter the paved street under him. A red haze began clouding the edges of his senses, and he had no problems giving in to his instinctive rage.

His sharp eyes were scouring the streets and shadows for any sign of his mate and the low life snake that took him. He could just faintly hear his name being called, but he paid the voice no mind. His rage had almost taken over his mind.

Finally he saw movement below him that caught his attention. Turles stumbled from an alleyway wiping blood from his forehead. Vegeta hit the man with enough force to send them both through the abandoned home and into another building nearly demolishing it as they rolled until Vegeta flipped on top of the weaker alpha pinning him with both hands on his throat intent on choking the life out of the one who harmed his mate. 

“Where is KAKAROT?!”

The dark skinned saiyan clawed at the hands on his neck as he struggled for breath. Turles knew he wasn't going to survive unless he was able to tell Vegeta something. He was able to get just enough to come out with a partial word, and he took in a huge breath as the smaller dominant loosen his grip just enough for the space pirate to speak. 

“G-gone. Th-they…ugh…took…him. Shiveria’s…men took him...”


	31. Chapter 31

Vegeta froze as the name penetrated the red haze, and he could feel the blood drain from his face. He let out another enraged roar and tightened his grip on Turles’ throat as his nails left bloody tracks. He slammed a fist into the other’s ribs, feeling a satisfying crunch under his knuckles. Another blow landed, breaking Turles’ jaw before Vegeta began raining down multiple hits on the pinned man under him who no longer needed the smaller man to hold him down.

He pulled a hand back and charged up a blast to end the life before him with a snarl.

“VEGETA!!! STOP!!!” Bardock, in his own ascended form, slammed into the prince and struggled to pull him off the barely conscious pirate. “We still need him alive!”

When Vegeta still fought against the hold on his arms, Gohan and Raditz joined the older alpha in pulling the livid dominant back. It took all three of them to drag Vegeta off Turles. 

“Let me go! He deserves to die! I'll have his pelt nailed on my wall for giving Kakarot to that bitch!” The alpha spat as he twisted elbowing Gohan in the sternum and he kicking Bardock in the side. Raditz managed to keep his grip on the smaller alpha with his arms under Vegeta's shoulders.

Turles choked up blood as he rolled onto his stomach trying to escape and put distance between the enraged alpha and himself out of sheer survival instinct. He screamed in pain as a booted foot pinned his limp tail against the stone ruble.

“Not this time you rat.” Nappa growled before grinding his foot to take the fight out of the pirate. “You’ve caused a great deal of trouble lately and I don’t appreciate attacks on the royal family. I’m half tempted to let Vegeta rip you limb from limb.” 

Bardock snarled as he held the struggling prince back as his bare feet slid across the stone. He knew if he let go now there was no way Turles would survive Vegeta's onslaught, and they would lose whatever information the slug had on Kakarot's whereabouts.

“Vegeta, please calm down.” Gohan shouted over Vegeta’s snarls as he jumped in front of the enraged alpha and pushed against his shoulders and chest to hold him back. “It won’t help us find my Dad any faster if you kill him now.” His son’s words pierced the haze of fury and the alpha’s struggles ceased aside from the enraged shaking of his limbs as he fought to calm down. His tail lashed the air angrily as he growled in his chest with bared fangs. 

Bardock sighed and thanked the goddess his grandson managed to call Vegeta off. Slowly he and Raditz released the younger alpha ready to act if he snapped again. Gohan shivered as Vegeta reminded him of a predator at that moment. Somehow it was worse than having to fight him in his great ape transformation all those years ago. 

“I’ll ask you one time before I start taking body parts.” Bardock hissed kneeling in front of the wounded pirate and grabbing a fist full of dark hair. “Where is Kakarot? Think very hard before you answer.” He said pulling out a small thin, blade from the belt he must have brought with him after leaving the arena.

“He gave him to Shiveria!” Vegeta snarled as his power flared, and Raditz and Nappa froze for a second before glaring at the space pirate.

“NO!” Turles shouted angrily. “I never wanted to hurt Kakarot. I wanted him for my mate.” Vegeta snarled and Gohan managed to grab his stepfather before his claws ripped out the pirate’s throat.

"I'll kill you!" The alpha screamed as Gohan stopped him. 

“I didn’t give Kakarot to Shiveria! They tricked me and took him.”

“Explain to those of us who are unfamiliar with this Shiveria, now.” Bardock hissed as he harshly jerked the hair on the dark skinned saiyan’s head. 

Turles winced and brought a hand up to grip Bardock's wrist to help relieve the pressure on his scalp, but it didn't do anything to help. He gritted his teeth when the hand pulled his head back to expose the dominant's throat. The vulnerable position made him angry, unfortunately he couldn't do anything.

“Shiveria is a frost demon from Frieza's rival clan. She managed to take control of everything Frieza's family conquered, and now she rules with an iron fist.”

“What does this have to do with Kakarot?” Raditz hissed from his spot beside Vegeta as he clenched and unclenched his hands.

When the space pirate didn't answer, Nappa put more weight on the tail under his booted foot. There were several small bones that snapped, but the noise was drowned out from the scream that came from Turles’ mouth.

Seeing no other option, the beaten alpha began to tell what happened. 

Flashback 

Turles had Kakarot thrown over his shoulder as he stuck to the shadows after he got away from the panzaon. His destination was an abandoned house close to where he stowed his ship. With everyone at the tournament, it was easy moving through the streets, but he wasn't taking any chances. 

After he got the beta in the house and placed ki restraints on him, the space pirate would get them off planet after Kakarot had gone through the side effects of the serum. Turles was feeling elated with how his plan had worked so well.

A stone house with broken windows and cracked walls came into view after the dominant had past the last corner. He glanced around the area before slipping inside the building.

He laid Kakarot on a mattress in the back of the house and then placed some ki cuffs that Oaklio had sent along with the serum on the beta. Turles hated to put these things on his soon to be mate, but it would better to be safe than sorry. He doubted Kakarot would be pleased at leaving his cubs at first, particularly his youngest, but it would pass after he gave the beta new cubs. 

Once the alpha stepped back to look over the other man, he frowned at the sight of sweat beading on the submissive's flushed face. Kakarot looked like he was in pain, and small whimpers escaped his mouth every other breath.

Turles knelt down beside the beta and placed a hand on the sweaty forehead. He drew it back with a hiss at the feeling of the amount of heat he was detecting. Concern had the alpha's brow furrowing as he checked over the rest of the beta's vital signs.

“That goat had better not have sent something that could have hurt you, Kakarot. If he did-”

“You'll do what, monkey?” A voice that held mockery in every word interrupted the saiyan.

Turles jerked to face the door of the room, and he spotted the short, green male with several other different aliens standing behind him. Turles bared his fangs as he moved between the men and his helpless future mate. 

"What are you doing here?! If you gave me something that hurts him-"

"You'll what? Kill me? You monkeys are so unoriginal." Oaklio said with a smirk. "I must say this worked out better than I could have dreamed. You managed to completely subdue one of the most powerful fighters in the universe, the one who beat Frieza. You actually impressed me for once Turles."

Turles growled in response. Kakarot was beginning to sweat more heavily and slight trembles ran up and down his frame. A soft whine escaped him as he curled onto his side. 

"What the hell was in that serum?! You said he wouldn't have side effects from breaking the mating bond." 

"And he's not," Oaklio said smugly "because the serum I gave you was never meant to break a mating bond." 

“What!?”

"I specifically designed that serum years ago to weaken Goku and sap his ki using his own DNA to insure it worked long enough to capture him. Your precious beta is going through mild to severe ki withdrawal." The yellow eyes of the scientist watched the beta with great interest. 

"How did you get his DNA? And why the hell would you want to capture him? Frieza was dead by the time you'd have known who Kakarot was, and I know for a fact you didn't give two shits about the fact he killed your boss!"

"Oh, I personally didn't care about your beta. His DNA interested me for research purposes. My new employer approached me with a deal that I simply couldn't refuse. I would get all manner of saiyan DNA for my research if I formulated a serum to take down and control Son Goku."

“New employer? Who's boots are you licking now?” The space pirate sneered the question out, but Oaklio just ignored the comment and continued as if Turles never interrupted.

"I have to say, Chirb here was very through on his previous collection trip and provided all sorts of samples other than the blood I initially requested." Oaklio said looking over to a tall reptile like alien. 

He had dark blue scales that covered his body with lighter blue running down his neck and underside of his arms. His hands had white claws coming out of his fingertips. He was bigger in width and height than Nappa was, and he had snow-white hair that touched the tops of his shoulders with jaggedly cut strands coving his forehead and left eye. The yellow and white armor he wore looked like it strained to cover his torso no matter how stretchable the material was. Burnt orange eyes with a black slit for a pupil were locked onto the unconscious saiyan with a gleam that made Turles snarl.

"Oh yes, I'm hoping for a repeat performance." The alien said licking his lips with a burnt orange tongue that had the saiyan force down a revolting shiver. "He was quite the screamer wasn't he boys." Turles' blood boiled at the chuckles that came from the other men. 

"It was you! You're the bastards that raped him!" The alpha saiyan bared his teeth at the males gathered at the door with his tail lashing behind him.

"He never said no." Chirb waved a hand in dismissal. “I think he rather enjoyed it judging from the noises he made. Now…step aside, monkey. Our mistress is not a patient person, and she wants Son Goku.”

“No way in hell am I letting you take him! He's mine!” Turles launched himself at the reptile with a snarl. 

Chirb caught the fist that was aimed for his face with one hand, and brought his knee up to bury it in the saiyan’s sternum. With the air knocked out of him, it was easy for the larger male to send Turles through the air and a wall with a well-placed punch to the face.

Never before had Turles been so easily dominated in a fight, and that made his anger worse. He couldn't let these bastards take Kakarot! Not after all the trouble he went through to get the submissive away from Vegeta and Bardock.

The dark skinned dominant pushed himself up onto his knees and hands to get back up, but Chirb forced him down with a booted foot to the head. The reptile crouched down to get closer to saiyan.

Turles struggled under the weight of the larger man as he heard more footsteps from the others in the room. There was a squeaking sound that notified the space pirate that someone had taken Kakarot from his resting place.

“No, he belongs to Lady Shiveria. She wants a new pet, and has requested that we deliver Son Goku to her.” He put more pressure on the foot, and Turles could almost feel his skull cracking under the weight. 

‘Shiveria? Oh, Kalious no!’ Turles fought harder to get out from under Chirb’s boot, but all he succeeded in doing was make the reptilian put more pressure on his head.

“Say good night, monkey.”

There was a harsh kick that came out of nowhere, and it knocked Turles out.

Flashback End

Vegeta just stood there in shock as he tried to process the information. 

Not only was his mate gone, but he was at the mercy of his rapists and someone more merciless than Frieza.

His body was shaking out of fear and rage, and his green eyes narrowed as he stared at the pinned saiyan. It was his fault, all of it. With another feral roar, the prince tried to attack Turles again.

“Vegeta! Stop!” Gohan shouted as he and Raditz once again grabbed the man to stop him. The short alpha ignored them as he struggled to get close enough to beat the life out of the space pirate. 

Gohan was forced to go super saiyan to have enough strength to keep the snarling dominant in his place. His mind was in turmoil of what he just learned, but he couldn't focus on the information with Vegeta out for blood.

Bardock was shaking himself as he struggled not to slit Turles’ throat on the spot. 

“Nappa, take him to the dungeon and alert the king of what happened. No matter how much I wish otherwise, we still need this piece of filth alive. Make sure you find out how the hell another ship landed on planet without us knowing. We will try and calm Vegeta as best we can.” He said going to help Gohan and Raditz wrestle Vegeta into submission long enough for Nappa to remove the traitorous bastard.

“NO!” Vegeta snarled as he thrashed wildly. “He has to die! I have to rip him apart!”

“Not yet, Vegeta.” Bardock said knowing this was the alpha’s way of dealing with everything. “I know you want to kill him, I do too, but we have to find out everything about the men who took Kakarot, and Turles is the only way we can do that.”

“He hurt them, our cubs, my mate, and my brother!” Vegeta snarled as his struggles weakened. “None of them are safe until he’s dead, I have to protect them.” He said as tears filled his eyes. “I failed Karo already. I…I promised him he would never go through that again and I failed. I didn’t…protect him.” He said as his powers surged with his runaway emotions, and he collapsed to his knees before he powered down. “Please Bardock, don’t make me fail Karo again for not protecting our cubs. I need to see him dead to know they’re safe.”

“I know.” Bardock soothed as he waved Gohan and Raditz off the alpha. “I’m at fault too Vegeta. You tried to tell me something was wrong and I ignored you. You didn’t fail Kakarot. Turles will be punished the second he’s no longer useful, I promise you. He’ll be punished for everything he did to Kakarot, Tarble, and the cubs. We’ll see to it he’s given the most painful sentence our people have, but you have to wait. I promise we will get Kakarot back, and we will kill every last one of those bastards and give their blood to the gods as payment for their sins.”

“Shiveria is mine.” Vegeta hissed as he looked up with tears on his face. “I will kill that bitch and her scientist with my own hands when I rip out their hearts as sacrifices to Tarro.” Bardock nodded.

“You’ll get them both and Turles too.” Bardock said with a feral grin. “Gohan and I will take everyone that gets in the way. Right now though, you’ll have to be patient and take care of your cubs. Vegito needs his daddy right now, Trunks and Goten too. Kakarot needs you to be strong and take care of them. He’s going to come home Vegeta, Kakarot is strong enough to protect himself until you can get to him.”

“I know he is, Bardock. I just wish he didn't have to.”


	32. Chapter 32

Goku let out a groan as his eyes struggled to open against the pain in his head. Everything was blurry, and he couldn't make anything out in his surroundings. It took a few minutes for his vision to clear up, and he looked around in confusion.

He was kneeling on a raised circular platform with a thin cushion just barely protecting his knees from the hard surface underneath. There was a bright light shining above him, and it's light was the only thing in the room that allowed him to see. His arms were lifted above his head and chains connected to the ki cuffs around his wrists.

Dark eyes spotted a chain that connected his wrists to a ki collar around his neck. He squinted his eyes when he tried to find what the chains were connected to, but the light shining directly above him make the submissive wince in pain. He could feel shackles around his ankles once he shifted, the rattle of the chains holding him in place loud and grating to his ears.

When he looked down away from the brightness, he saw that his clothes had been removed. Now all he had on was a pair of black pants that just barely hung on his hips. He let out another groan as he sagged in his restraints. What happened to him? Did Turles do this so he couldn’t escape? 

The beta felt exhausted and disconnected form his body, and he shivered in the cold air around him. Goku's stomach cramped and he let his head rest against his right arm as he prayed for it to pass.

“Finally awake are we?” A soft female voice from behind the saiyan. “I was beginning to wonder if you would ever wake.” 

The beta tried to twist around to see who had managed to sneak up behind him, but the sudden movement had his head swimming. Black dots appeared at the edges of his vision, and he had to squeeze his eyes shut to keep his awareness as his stomach churned violently.

“Oh, you might want to be careful. Ki withdrawal is very difficult to adjust to, and I don't want you to pass out again. I was starting to get bored while I was waiting for you.” The voice was closer, and Goku felt something smooth run down his spine. He tried to flinch away unsuccessfully.

“Who…?” The word was rough, and his throat felt so dry. “Who are…you?” 

“Oh? That's right. You weren't awake when you came here.” A female stepped in front of Goku, and the room seemed to brighten as he took in her features.

Goku felt his blood run cold once he saw that she looked similar to Frieza.

She was a couple of inches below average height and looked very delicate, but some quality about her made up for her diminutive size. She wore no clothes, and her skin was teal with light blue patches on her chest above her bust, along her forearms, and her calves. 

She had ice blue hair that had bangs that cover her forehead and the rest was pulled back into a braid that ended just above a whip like tail that was still touching the saiyan, and purple eyes watched his every movement as she trailed the tip of her tail over his torso.

“My name is Shiveria, and I've been waiting a long time to meet you, Son Goku.” Goku blinked in confusion. He’d never heard of her before in his life. Why was he here and where was Turles? Were they working together? Goku licked his parched lips and tried to focus.

“Why? What…do you…want?” He rasped out.

“You are the one who defeated Frieza are you not? Why wouldn’t I want to meet the legendary Son Goku?” She answered as her tail brushed the side of his face.

“You want revenge for me killing Frieza…” Goku said after a moment, his words slurring a bit. “You’re related to him…aren’t you.” A bell like laugh startled him.

“That’s so cute, you actually think I’m related to that mutated plebeian.” She laughed in amusement. “No, no my pet. I’m quite pleased that you killed that vile little upstart and his family. You see Frieza and I had something of a….rivalry you could say. He may have been physically stronger than myself at one point, but he lacked enough intelligence to be wiser in his actions. So I really must congratulate you and thank you for killing him for me. Now my rival is dead and his empire is mine.”

“You….did all this….to thank me?” Goku’s head pounded as he tried to focus under the bright lights. “Is that why Turles…” He coughed as his dry mouth finally stole his voice.

“Oh no, Turles was simply a tool.” Shiveria explained with a casual wave of her hand as she circled around Goku again. “He came to one of my employees and asked for help breaking a mating bond, your mating bond to be specific.” The beta’s breath hitched as her thin tail wound around his torso and slid over his bite mark. “So I lied to him and gave the deluded monkey a ki suppressant. Once he used it on you, my men collected you and brought you to me pet.”

There was that word again, pet. His skin crawled with the way she said it. He groaned suddenly as something touched his tail, which lay limply between his bare feet. His arms jerked in their restrains against the dull stabs of pain that accompanied the soft touch.

“I didn’t realize your tail was so sensitive, my pet.” She cooed letting go of the tender appendage.

“Not…..your…p-pet.” The beta stammered only just audible to Shiveria’s ears. She laughed again as she pet Goku’s hair gently despite the saiyan’s flinching.

“Oh dear pet that is exactly what you are.” Shiveria said pulling Goku’s head up to look her in the eye against the bright light. “You belong to me now.” She said petting his head with her other hand. Goku growled too weak to pull away from the firm grip.

“No….” He rasped with a glare. Violet eyes looked back in amusement before her tail slithered up to coil loosely around his throat.

“I had a feeling you were going to be difficult.” She sighed in exasperation letting go and turning away. “You monkeys are such a prideful breed. So allow me educate you my pet.” Her tail suddenly jerked the collar around Goku’s neck down earning a cry of pain from the beta. “Make no mistake pet, I do own you. Now you can make things easier on yourself and accept that or face the consequences.”

“Or what…you’ll kill…me?” Goku growled against the pain of having his arms pulled in two directions. Onyx eyes glared as best they could in his current condition. That mocking laugh rang in his ears earning another growl from the beta.

“Kill you? Dear pet I’m not going to kill you. I spent months trying to acquire you only to be led to believe you were dead the last 8 years. No no pet I have something else in mind.” Her tail wormed around to squeeze his throat.

“You see, I know your weakness pet. If you fight against me, I'll dispose of your mate and cubs. I'm sure you remember just how easy it was for Frieza to blow up your home world, correct? I can do the same thing just as easily, but I will have your spawn brought up so you can watch their demise. Your youngest is a month old now isn’t he?”

“Don’t you dare touch them! Do you hear me?” Goku growled out at the frost demon, and he pulled weakly against her hold as he bared his elongated fangs at her. “I swear I will end you, if you or any of your men touch my family.”

“Pets don't give their masters orders. They do as they are told.” Shiveria tutted at his attempted resistance. She hummed a bit as she looked over the kneeling man glaring up at her. She knew the beta would keep his word. The fire in his eyes was something she liked yet hated at the same time.

“It seems we have a lot of work to do, but I always enjoy a challenge.” The teal tail wrapped around the submissive's neck tightened, and she brought him closer to her face. Goku let out a cry as the chains restricted his body. 

The blue haired female moved behind the saiyan and picked up his limp tail again. Goku let out a scream when the blue haired female twisted the appendage around her wrist. Shiveria ignored the sound as she ran her fingers through the silky black fur. The beta trembled in pain as his vision faded out temporarily.

“Now then, I'll let your disobedience slide for today. You are confused from your withdrawal and obviously adjusting to your new station, but I will not be so lenient with such out bursts tomorrow.” Shiveria released his throat and tail. She came back around and gently patted his cheek.

“I'll send someone in to give you food and water. You be good for him when he gets here, understand pet? I'll be back once you are done, and show you your new room.” The female walked into the darkness behind the saiyan.

Goku's ears could pick up the sound of her feet on the floor, and the sound of a door opening. There was a male voice that asked something, but the beta couldn't hear the words.

“Chirb, get my pet some nourishment. He'll need it.” Shiveria ordered the reptilian. “Oh! Don't touch him Chirb, and come get me when he's through.”

The door closed, and Goku pulled at the chains that bound his wrists. His struggles were weak and proved to be useless as another wave of nausea rolled over him. The beta knew that he needed to get away from this woman, but without his ki, he wouldn't get far.

“Isn’t this a familiar sight?” Goku froze. He knew that voice. For the first time Goku saw his rapist face to face. “My that takes me back, I almost wish that wife of yours would have let us play with you like this.”

“NO!” Goku panicked and jerked hard on his restraints. He whined as his vision swam again. “S-stay away from me!” Chirb grinned and knelt at eye level with the now shaking beta.

“Now, now don’t get excited. We might have time to play before your master returns.” He said grabbing Goku by the chin and holding him firmly. “For now its time to feed you. Open up pet.” Goku jerked his head against the grip and clenched his jaw in refusal. He didn’t trust the lizard.

“None of that now, I’ll have to make you if you won’t behave.” Goku just shook his head before a thumb pressed against his jaw and pried it open before shoving something in the saiyan’s mouth and holding it closed. When Goku continued to struggle to spit out the food Chirb’s other hand came up to pinch his nose shut.

“Swallow if you want to breathe.” Having no choice the beta swallowed coughing as he choked on the food.

“Awe, are you thirsty?” Ice-cold water washed over his head drenching him completely. Goku sputtered coughing up water and shook his head to try and clear his vision. Immediately the cold air of the room hit his body and he began to shake.

“You look cold pet.” Chirb said behind him causing the beta to flinch. “How about I get you out of those wet clothes and dry you off?” Goku screamed and thrashed trying to pull away as Chirb’s hands found the ties on his pants. There was a choking sound as the hands were ripped away suddenly, and Goku saw his rapist hit the ground and clutch frantically at his neck. Shiveria’s tail was currently choking massive blue lizard as she examined her nails.

“Chirb, I do wish you would stop thinking with your libido. I specifically told you not to touch my pet, and then I come back expecting you to have finished the simple task of feeding him only to find my pet soaking wet and you about to have him naked.” She finished looking down at him with a sigh. “So let me be explicitly clear this time, do not have sex with my pet without his or my express consent. And it must be a verbal and coherent consent. Am I being clear enough, Chirb?” She said slamming him into the ground again when he didn’t answer.

“Ye-yes, m-mi-mistress.” He choked out around her choking grasp.

“Good.” She said smiling as she released him before kneeling in front of the wet trembling beta. “It’s alright now pet.” She said petting Goku’s head as he sagged in relief. “Let’s get you dried off and in your new room. Perhaps then you can have something to eat without it ending up on the floor.”

+++++

Gohan quietly opened the door to his father’s bedroom. Vegeta was standing near the balcony with a sleeping Vegito held in his arms staring into the night sky periodically glancing to the bed where his little brothers and Tarble lay sleeping. The baby was sleeping for now and unaware that his tama was missing.

The medics confirmed the boys were safe from any danger and advised them to let the children wake up on their own. His Uncle and Grandfather were speaking quietly by the lit fireplace. He knew he should wait to ask his father once he got home but he couldn’t stand not knowing. So he went to the one person that knew everything about his father.

“Vegeta?” The only indicator the alpha heard him was a small twitch of his tail. “When-?”

“No, Gohan.” The tired voice of his stepfather rasped out as he shifted the cub. “Don’t finish that question.”

“You don’t get to decide what I get to know or ask.” Gohan snapped as he glared at everyone in the room. “When were any of you going to tell me my father was raped!?”

“I’m not having this conversation with you.” Vegeta growled looking away from Gohan as he held his youngest close. “Drop it.”

“Why won’t you tell me?! I’m old enough to know. You know everything about Dad, why won’t you tell me?” Gohan shouted angry at all the secrets.

“Because your father never wanted you to know.” Bardock said from his place by the fire taking the anger out of Gohan for the moment. “Kakarot never wanted you to know; he never wanted any one to know. He wanted to protect you and Goten.”

“Protect us from who!? This is my father we’re talking about, how the hell would someone actually be able…” It dawned on him as Gohan realized something.

“Someone helped them, didn’t they.” It was a fact the way he said it. “Someone dad trusted set him up.”

“Let it go, Gohan, respect your fathers wishes about this.” Bardock said trying to stop his grandson.

“Tell me.”

“Gohan…”

“Tell me who let my father be raped!” Gohan snarled.

“Your mother.” Vegeta answered tiredly. “Your mother arranged the whole thing and drugged him. She did it to keep him from fighting anymore. And when she finished her turn with him, she gave him over to those other men.”

“No…” Gohan looked shocked at the older alpha. “She might have not been the best person, but she-”

Vegeta snarled viciously and growled deep in his chest as he snapped his head over to glare at the teen. Gohan flinched back away from the alpha. The action made the Vegito whimper in his sleep, and the angry dominant quieted down a bit before sneering back at Gohan.

“I can't believe you're defending that bitch!” He hissed with his tail lashing behind him. “Do you have any idea of what she has done, or are you completely oblivious?!”

“Vegeta! Either calm down or hand me the cub.” Bardock cut in before the prince could start his rant. “He'll notice Kakarot is gone as soon as he wakes up again, and I, for one, want to prolong that.”

Vegeta gritted his teeth and handed the older man the baby before he fisted a hand in Gohan's gi top and pulled him away from his sleeping cubs and brother out onto the balcony. He knew he wouldn't be as quiet as he should, but the half saiyan needed to know.

“Gohan, listen very carefully. I will only be able to tell you this once, and if you interrupt me at any time, I'm going to lose it.” His sharp eyes bore into the younger alpha, and as soon as he got a nod, he released his stepson.

“You were very young at the time so I can understand how you missed it, but ever since she found out that Karo wasn't human, she treated him differently. She became colder and more distant. Karo never really noticed the change until it was too late, I blame that in part on the fact your father was naive and still in a teenager’s mindset. After he came back from defeating Frieza…that bitch became abusive.” Vegeta sneered as he began to pace. His chestnut tail was lashing around behind him as he struggled to control his anger. There was a reason he avoided looking into Kakarot’s memories too deeply.

“What did she do?”

“I'm not sure for how long or why, but she started to collect his DNA. She was also starting to slip drugs into his food to keep him from training as long. Your father would sleep days at a time.” Gohan nodded remembering how his dad slept so hard after they came back from training some days leading up to the androids arrival. He remembered his mother telling him to let his father be. “She stopped about a week before the androids came, but I think that was only so that Karo would better protect you.” The prince ran a hand through his hair.

“It was right before the Cell Games that things got really bad. She increased the doses of the drugs she used, and the night before the battle…” Vegeta stopped and clenched his hands so tightly that Gohan could see blood drip down to the balcony.

“She caught Karo off guard when he planned a night for them, mostly to make her happy in case something happened to him.” Vegeta spat angrily. “They went to dinner and for a walk. The bitch slipped a powerful sedative into his food, and once he was unconscious, he was taken somewhere. When Karo woke up, he was chained, blindfolded, and gaged by your mother. She explained to him that after this fight, there would be no more fighting, training, or saving the planet.

“She took over a pint of his blood, gave him an aphrodisiac, and raped him. If that wasn't enough…she couldn't keep up with his stamina so she invited others to take a turn with him. Men…not women, Gohan.” Vegeta looked back into the room to stare at Goten still sleeping on the bed. Gohan looked over to follow the older alpha’s gaze and it settled on his little brother. The teen wanted to cry as understanding filled him.

“Yes, Goten was the result of that night, and that wasn't the worst thing. The drug she used still affected him the next day. That's why he had you fight Cell. He wasn't strong enough to do it, and he put his faith in you. He chose to remain dead to keep away from her. Your father knew there was no way to escape her or his rapists if he was revived. Gohan, he still hates himself for leaving you. It was one of the most painful choices your father ever made, but Karo knew she would never harm you, and Piccolo was there if you needed someone.”

“Karo wanted to protect you from this, Gohan. He never wanted you to know just how bad that bitch was all because he knew you loved her. So the next time you think your mother isn't a bad person, remember this conversation and all the things she has done to your father.” His oldest was trembling with tears in his eyes. “You should know, that despite everything he did love your mother for giving him you and your brother regardless of how it happened. He loves you two more than anything.” Gohan said nothing before he flew off towards the desert, obviously needing to vent.

Vegeta stalked off to retrieve his youngest to keep his anger in check. Without his mate, Vegito and the rest of his sons were the only thing keeping him remotely composed.


	33. Chapter 33

An explosion lit up the night sky out in the desert quickly followed by a shout and another. Gohan had powered up as high as he could go and was punching and shooting everything he could see.

Sweat was pouring off his body as he panted and looked around the landscape for another target to take his rage out on. Craters dotted the rock as his power had stripped his immediate surroundings of any sand that might have been there at one point. Small shards of glass littered the ground from the sand he liquefied and shattered with the force of his numerous blasts.

The teen’s tail lashed around as he searched for stronger stone that could take more than one hit. Everything he had hit so far had crumbled to dust without much exertion on his part. He let out a scream as he punched the ground in front of him, and a split in the rock formed for almost half a mile. It wasn’t enough, he still had too much rage. With another roar of fury the teen slammed both fists into the stone widening the split by another several feet and making another crater under his feet.

“Gohan?” A soft and unsure voice called out behind him. 

The young alpha growled as he spun around to see who had disturbed him only for his anger to lessen. Despite not wanting to be bothered by anyone, he was somewhat relief to see who come to him.

Tarble stood a few feet from him with his hands wringing some of the fabric of his tunic. He was looking at the half saiyan with a weary look in his eye. While he knew Gohan wouldn't hurt him, it was instinct to be cautious of an angry alpha.

“I wanted to see how you were doing…but I guess I got my answer.” He looked at the destruction around the pair. “Do you want to talk about it? It might be better than making a new canyon for Vegetasei.”

Gohan snorted at the poor attempt of humor as he powered down. He could still feel the tension in his body looking for an outlet, but he felt mentally exhausted with the events that had happened today.

“Talk about what? About how my mother raped my father? Or how about how she sold his body and DNA to a mad scientist? No wait, let's start with how my father has been kidnapped by that same scientist along with his rapists and is somewhere off planet having god knows what done to him?” The alpha paced as he ran a hand through his hair.

The beta watched as Gohan finally stopped moving to collapse on a small rock. He cradled his face in his hands and let out a strangled noise.

“It's all my fault…I never saw the signs of anything like this. How could I have missed this? I should have noticed and done something! What kind of son am I?!” Tarble quietly sat next to the teen on a rock just a bit higher than the other’s and placed a hand on his back.

“You think you’re a bad person because you didn’t notice something was wrong?” Tarble asked. “Even though you were a child when it happened?”

“I had all the signs in front of me Tarble, my own little brother used to beg me to stop her from hurting him, and I didn’t listen to him. I told him to stop whining about it.” Gohan said with tears in his eyes. “I should have been home that night, I should have done something to help him instead of blindly letting that…woman do that to him.” Tarble nodded withdrawing his hand.

“You’re still a better person than I am if that’s true.” He said quietly. The alpha turned to look at the smaller beta who was absently fiddling with a simple necklace under his shirt while he looked at the moon. “At least you didn’t kill your parent.”

“What?!” Gohan was shocked as Tarble nodded.

“My tama died giving birth to me. There were complications with the labor and in the end he died instead of me.”

“Tarble that’s not your fault, you were-”

“An infant?” The beta said with a raised brow. “I know, but how is that any different that you? You were a child then too weren’t you?”

“Well, yeah, but-”

“And didn’t your father tell you to go spend time with your friend?”

“That’s not the point! I should have noticed before it got that bad!”

“And what would you have done if you had?” Tarble asked throwing Gohan for a loop. “What could you, a child, have done that your father, a grown man, didn’t?”

“I-” the demi saiyan actually had no idea what he would have done.

“You know a long time ago I felt the same way about my tama.” Tarble said as he looked down at the orange triangle shaped pendant in his hands. “For a very long time I thought that was why my father sent me away into hiding, not to protect me from Frieza. Like your father, I was friends with the natives of the world I lived on, and when I wasn’t much older than you one of them helped me understand that it wasn’t my fault. I had to realize that there was nothing I could have done to prevent what happened, and that nothing I did caused what happened.”

“But what if I could have stopped it, Tarble?” Tears were beginning to gather in the taller saiyan’s eyes. It broke the beta's heart to see Gohan like this.

“What if you knew and couldn’t do anything about it? Gohan, Kakarot obviously didn’t want you to know because he knew you’d do this to yourself. I can’t tell you why he didn’t fight back against your mother’s abuse or why he stayed with her for so long; but I know he did what he thought was best for you and Goten.”

“Why would he let her abuse him just for us?” Gohan asked.

“That’s what parents do.” Tarble said softly. “They will give up everything for their cubs. That’s what Bardock did, and Gine, and my parents. That’s what Kakarot did for you. He gave up the safety he found in other world to come back and protect you and Goten. I know you are hurt and confused Gohan but you need to remember you are not a bad person because you didn’t notice what happened. If it still bothers you, talk to your father when we bring him home, but please, don’t torture yourself over this.”

The younger prince pulled the teen into a hug with the alpha's face buried in Tarble's right shoulder. Strong hands fisted in the blue cloth covering his back, and tears were slowly dampening his shoulder. Gohan's shoulder shook as quiet sobs escaped from his throat.

“Thank you, Tarble.” The words were just barely spoken above a whisper as Gohan soaked up the comfort from the submissive. It was like he couldn't get close enough to the warm understanding Tarble offered.

“You're welcome, Gohan.” 

Tarble ran a hand through the dominant's hair as he frowned in thought. The teen almost seemed starved for the affection he getting. It made red flags wave in the prince’s mind as he felt the arms around him tighten when he shifted.

‘Oh, Kalious…it looks like not even you were excluded from that woman's treatment, Gohan.’ Tarble thought, and in an uncharacteristic manner, he let his lip curl up into a silent snarl. ‘Big brother better make sure she can't harm any of them ever again! If he doesn't…I'll tear her apart!’

It felt like hours before Gohan stopped sobbing, but throughout the entire time, the beta just offered soothing words and warm touches. Tarble placed a kiss on the teen’s temple before he pulled away from the alpha.

“Come on, Gohan. We need to get back.” The smaller man offered out his hand. “Vegeta is trying to comfort your brother, but Goten will need you too. He's taking this very hard.”

“I'm sure.” Gohan's voice sounded a bit horse. “Dad’s only been in his life for a short period of time, and he grew very attached to him.”

They joined hands and took off back to the palace.

+++++++

“Tama's gone?” Goten asked Vegeta with a tear stained face. “B-but…why? Did I do something bad? Is that why he left? I’ll be good if he comes back, I promise!” He was clutching his small tail in his hands.

Vegeta cringed at the question and felt his heart wrench in his chest. The boys had only recently woken up, and neither one were taking this well. Vegeta shushed the cub and got the panicking child to quiet down.

“No, Goten, you didn’t do anything thing wrong. Your tama didn't leave, he was taken by some bad people.” Vegeta softly explained knowing there was no way to hide why his mate was gone, not with the upcoming trial. The prince scooped up the boy in his arms. “Karo would never leave any of you willingly. He loves you more than life itself, and would fight fang and claw to keep from abandoning you.”

The alpha purred to calm his youngest stepson, but the soothing noise had little impact. Another choked sob brought his attention to Trunks, who was trying to hide how hard Goku's kidnapping affected him. He pulled the lavender haired boy to his chest as well.

Trunks and Goku had gotten close over the past few months. The cub even started to call the beta tama as well. They bonded over Goku’s stories of traveling with Bulma and their adventures with the dragon balls. Their adventures were so fantastic, Vegeta wouldn’t believe half of them if he didn’t have the memories too.

“We shouldn’t have gone to sleep.” Goten sobbed out.

“That wasn’t your fault boys.” Vegeta said as his hands carded through both cub’s hair. “None of this was your fault. You fell asleep because the man who took Karo made you. He made Tarble and your Tama sleep too.”

“But what if we never see him again dad?” Trunks asked quietly.

“That won’t happen.” Vegeta said pulling away from his cubs to look them in the eyes. “Your tama is going to come home, no matter what. If I have to rip apart every star in the universe, I am going to bring Karo home.” His words had a soothing effect on Trunks relieving the prince. Goten was another story.

“You’re leaving too!” Goten wailed latching onto the alpha. “I’m sorry, please don’t leave too. I’ll be good! I’ll give back my dragon. I don’t wanna go b-back.” He sobbed. Vegeta had a feeling this would happen, and he sat Goten down on the bed and knelt in front of him. Goten’s tail had curled between his legs while he whimpered trying to make himself into a ball.

“Goten, are you worried you’ll go back to Earth because your tama and I won’t be here?”

“Please don’t make me g-go. P-please! I promise I’ll be g-good.” Vegeta took a deep breath to calm himself. They were still finding damage from that woman. Gently he wiped tears from the chibi’s face and kissed his forehead.

“Goten, no matter what happens to Karo or myself, you are NEVER going back to her. This is your home. Your mother is never going to hurt you again. You will always have someone to take care of you here.” He said as his tail wrapped around Goten’s. “You have your brothers here, Gohan, Trunks and Vegito, you have your Uncle Tarble, the hairball,” this earned a hiccuping laugh from the cub through his tears. “and your grandfathers Vegeta and Bardock.”

“But I’m scared.” 

“I know you’re scared Goten, I’m scared too, for your tama and leaving you two here. But Karo needs me and your Grandpa to go get him.” Vegeta said sadly. “Its ok to be scared, it makes you stronger. But I don’t want you to ever be scared of going back to her. It will never happen, no matter what.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” Vegeta said pulling Goten in for another hug. 

“And…you'll bring Tama back?” The cub whispered as buried his face in the crook of the prince’s neck clinging to Vegeta and his every word.

“Yes, cub. I'll bring your tama back.” The alpha felt relieved that Goten was slowly calming down. Now, he wouldn’t feel as uneasy leaving the boys on Vegetasei as he hunted his mate’s kidnappers down.

“Goten?” Both Vegeta and the boys looked over at the balcony to see Tarble and Gohan standing there. The older half saiyan had caught the some of the conversation about his younger brother begging Vegeta not to leave and make him go back to Chi-Chi, and he felt even more guilt rear up. “How are you feeling, buddy?” 

The teen came over to thread his fingers through black spikes as he kneeled down beside the older alpha. The boy moved into his big brother's arms after a slight hesitation and a whimper. His black tail wound around one of Gohan's arms, and he cringed.

“I want Tama…my tummy hurts, Gohan.” Goten clutched at the young dominant's top as a few more tears leaked out. “I don't feel good.”

“It's the drug in his system.” Vegeta informed the worried teen when he looked up in alarm. The prince had Trunks in his arms, and the lavender haired boy looked miserable as well. “The cubs got as much of it as Tarble and Kakarot, so they'll suffer some mild discomfort until it's out of their system, they should be over it by tomorrow according to the medics.”

“Oh…” he rubbed his little brother’s scalp the way their father used to rub his when he felt bad as a child trying to help him relax some. It brought back so many memories for him. He helped raise his brother, he should have known Goten wouldn’t have lied or exaggerated about being hurt. “I'm so sorry, Ten, I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you. I'm sorry for everything and not being a good brother and protecting you.” The teen’s voice cracked in his grief as he ran a hand down Goten's back to help soothe him. “I should have known you wouldn’t lie to me and I’m sorry.” Goten purred softly, rubbing his head under Gohan’s chin in forgiveness, as his little arms wrapped around his brother’s neck in a hug.

“I promise, you won’t ever have to go back there Goten.” Gohan said hugging his brother back. “Vegeta is right, this is our home now, and I will do everything I can to protect you, Trunks and Gito until Vegeta brings Dad home. I promise I’ll make things up to you somehow, Ten.”

“G-Gohan?” The black haired boy looked up at his brother nervously. “Will you go with daddy and grandpa to get tama?”

“What?” The two alphas in the room looked at the youngest demi-saiyan in shock. Gohan felt a bit hurt at the request, but he didn't know why. “You don't want me here with you?”

“Its not that,” Goten shook his head and leaned on his brother’s chest. “I’m still scared and I want you to stay with me, but you need to go with daddy. Daddy will need your help, and you guys can bring Tama home quicker.” He muttered as he pulled himself closer to his brother. 

The teen looked down at the messy spikes with an unsure expression on his face. As much as he wanted to be with Vegeta and Bardock, Gohan felt like he would be abandoning his brothers, not to mention Vegeta might just kill him.

“Goten….who’s going to look out for you, Trunks and Gito then? I can’t just leave you here alone.”

“Don't worry.” Tarble spoke up from where he had taken a seat on a chair by the bed. “I'll look after all of them while you're gone.”

“Tarble I can’t ask that of you, you’re already taking care of Gito.” Gohan said rubbing his brother’s back again to stave of the soft pained whimpers from his little brother.

“I took care of the boys before Gito got here.” Tarble said with a smile. “I’m sure they’ll help me with Gito.”

“But who is going to protect you guys? I love you but-”

“I know I’m not very strong Gohan, but I’m not helpless.” Tarble said calmly walking over to his chosen mate. “Besides, I’ll have Sushi and Raditz to help. I’m sure Nappa would even pitch in and help if I asked, between them and my father doubt well have any trouble. So stop worrying about us and go bring Kakarot home.” He said giving Gohan a peck on the cheek, earning a blush from the alpha and weak sounds of disgust from the boys. Tarble and his brother just shook their heads knowingly at how that would change in a few years.

“Please nii-san.” Goten pleaded looking up with watery eyes. Gohan looked to his stepfather for approval. The alpha shrugged letting the teen know it was his decision.

“Alright, buddy.” He said ruffling Goten’s hair. “I’ll help them bring your tama home.” All the stress in his little body vanished with those words as he curled into his brother’s arms sleepily. Bardock came into the bedroom with a grim look on his face. Tarble and Vegeta shared a look when the older alpha looked from the cubs to the door. The beta took his nephew from Vegeta.

“Come on, I think I have some tea to help settle their stomachs.” He said receiving grateful looks from the older men as they left and closed the doors behind them.

“Well?” Vegeta asked staring out at the predawn sky.

“He’s spilled everything he knows, not even Nappa got anything new out of him after I finished. I won’t lie, he honestly doesn’t know much about Shiveria, but her scientist Oaklio was a different story. Best case scenario we can use the few names he did know to start tracking this bitch down.”

“She isn’t on a planet, Bardock. The ice demons don’t even know where their first home world is. She’s in control of the cold empire; she’ll be in a ship. Frieza traveled to make attack difficult and to better control everything. I don’t see he most hated rival behaving much differently in that manner.” Vegeta said absently. “What is being done with the traitor?”

“You’re father is beginning preparations for his trial and sentencing. With his crimes we have no choice but to make a public spectacle of his punishment, he attacked not only the royal family, but cubs and betas. I may want this bastard dead, but I didn’t want the kids to have to watch.”

“When is the trial?”

“Sunset.” 

When Bardock didn't get a response, he let out a sigh and placed a hand on the prince’s shoulder. 

“Try and get some sleep, Vegeta. It's going to be a long day tomorrow.”


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning. This chapter might be a bit gory for some people.

As soon as the two suns started to set on Vegetasei, the arena that had held spectators for the Sun Tournament was now being filled for a trial. Whispers of shock and disbelief were spread over the fact that someone had done something that warranted the call for a public trial. Those that took a glance at the imperial box shivered at the sight of the prince.

Vegeta stood beside his father and oldest stepson with a grim look on his face. His arms were crossed and his tail lashed around behind him as he waited impatiently for everyone to get settled. He was glaring at two posts buried in the ground a few feet from the dais where a set of manacles hung empty.

Once every saiyan was seated, the king looked over at his son with a concerned glint in his eyes, but he was forced to push that in the back of his mind as he stood to address the confused masses.

“We are gathered here for the trial of Turles son of Onio for kidnapping a mated beta, harming two betas and three cubs, and…” Here K. Vegeta took an uneasy glance at his eldest. “The attempted murder of Prince Vegito.”

Vegeta snapped his head towards his father so fast over that news his neck cracked. The alpha clenched his hands tightly and bared his teeth in a snarl. His rage was apparent to anyone that glanced in his direction.

He hadn't heard about his youngest being threatened, but now his instincts were screaming at him to bathe in the pirate’s blood. He wouldn't feel calm again until he was absolutely sure that Turles could no longer harm any of his family again.

The crowd shared his rage as shouts of outrage began to ring out around the dais. People were calling for the perpetrator’s blood, and the guards surrounding the arena edges got into stances to keep the engaged saiyans back.

“Silence!” The monarch snarled out. “He will be brought forth to face judgment for his actions! Prince Vegeta and Prince Gohan will be the ones to execute punishment on the mangy mongrel!” 

K. Vegeta's words did little to calm the saiyans, but they did take their seats once again. Satisfied that Turles would not get ripped apart until it was sentencing time, he looked over at Bardock and Nappa.

“Bring forth the prisoner.”

Turles was only recognizable by his similar features to Kakarot at this point as Raditz dragged him into the arena by a pair of shackles. Small scrapes and bruises littered the saiyan’s body, evidence of his reluctance to tell the guards of his crimes no doubt. Nappa and Bardock flanked Raditz and escorted the alpha to the twin posts before locking him in place. The pirate growled and jerked at his bonds before raising his head to meet King Vegeta’s angry gaze. Nappa slapped the back of his head hard enough to make him look to the ground.

“Know your place, mongrel.” He snapped. “You stand before the King.”

“Turles son of Onio, you stand accused of our most vile of crimes. By your own admission you drugged the Prince Consort, Prince Tarble, and Princes Goten and Trunks; you kidnapped the Prince Consort after attacking him with a ki suppressant; and you attempted to kill not only the heir to throne but a helpless infant.” Many of the crowd snarled and a few of the guards were forced to hold some of the female spectators back who lunged at the alpha in a blind rage. “By right, this trial is a formality for the severity of your transgressions. Of our laws you have broken our two most sacred, To never harm a cub or beta, and the attempted destruction of the bond between mates. What defense, if any, can you offer for your actions?” King Vegeta demanded as he silenced the witnesses.

“I offer none to you or your son.” Turles said spitting on the ground before them. “You already made up your minds as to my judgment, therefore I demand my right to undergo Tarro’s Blood Rite! Let the goddess judge my actions!”

Murmurs of shock ran through the coliseum. Gohan looked to Vegeta confused.

“What is Tarro’s Blood Rite?” He asked quietly. Surprisingly his stepfather didn’t seem very unhappy by this demand.

“An ancient rite of our people, in times where innocence could not be decided we invoked the goddess herself to judge the accused. In the case of crimes against cubs and betas the goddess calls for blood to be shed as payment for their sins.” Vegeta explained softly. “If the accused are guilty in her eyes, they die.”

“You are aware that you will still face death with Tarro’s judgment?” K. Vegeta said.

“Better I die from her judgment than yours.” Turles snarled back.

“So you have chosen. For your crimes against the royal family, against the Prince Consort, Prince Tarble, Prince Goten, Prince Trunks, and Crown Prince Vegito you are sentenced to Tarro’s Blood Rite by your demand according to the laws of our people.” The King decreed. “May Lady Tarro have mercy on your soul for your accusers will have none for you in this world. According to the ancient laws, all alpha’s are to remain and bear witness to your punishment until its conclusion. The Rite will begin at moonrise. Take the prisoner away.”

+++++++VK++++++

The moon was large and almost full in the sky, and the normally soothing rays did nothing to quell the tempers of the alpha saiyans in the stands. They chanted for the goddess to take no mercy on Turles for his crimes, and jeered as he was brought back out to the posts again.

Turles was clad in his tight fitting shorts and boots, and he sneered at the crowd. Once he was chained back to the posts, the guards that had brought him out backed away. He pulled at the chains a bit out of reflex, but he knew that there was no way he could get out of this mess.

King Vegeta was watching him from his throne.

Vegeta and Gohan stood side by side in front of the dais on the same level as the space pirate. The older of the two looked morbidly happy over the dark skinned man’s choice in punishment, and the teen looked faintly uneasy.

Vegeta was presented a bright silver dagger with white stones in the hilt and the first inch of the blade in the center by one of the guards. He admired the craftsmanship of the weapon as it seemed to glow in the moonlight.

He took it without a word and stalked up to the chained saiyan. The alpha just barely noticed that as he got closer to the space pirate, the stones on the dagger glowed red. His eyes had hatred burning within as he stopped behind Turles and took a tight hold of his tail twisting the brown appendage around his hand to hold it taut and to inflict more pain as Turles screamed.

“This is for MY mate, you piece of filth!” The prince hissed into the taller alpha, and he brought the blade down swiftly. Vegeta bared his teeth in a fanged grin as he held up the severed appendage. The watching alphas roared in approval as their chanting increased in volume.

Turles let out a loud shout as his tail was cut off, and a burning sensation spread from the stump of the limb. His hands clenched into fists at the pain, but he was given no respite. A deep cut parted the skin on his back as Vegeta brought the blade down again with a snarl.

Gohan took a step up, and took the knife from his stepfather. His eyes widened feeling the energy coming off the weapon as the red stones pulsated under his hands. The teen took a deep breath before he brought the blade down over another patch of skin on Turles’ shoulder blades. Turles hissed in pain but to their surprise began laughing.

“If-if that’s the best you’ve got brat…I’ll live through this no problem. Figures you’d attract the weakest beta on Vegetasei to be your mate, you’re a weakling just like him.” Gohan snarled angrily at the pirate. “Oh have I touched a nerve, you’re nothing like Kakarot, you pitiful excuse for a half breed.” The teen’s kind nature vanished as he gave the dagger back to the prince. Vegeta slowly dug the tip of the blade into the previous wound and twisted as he drug the blade outward making a new wound. He then handed the blade back to Gohan.

“You know Turles, I think its time I show you something Dad taught me.” Gohan growled out as he checked the hone of the blade. He stepped close to the pirate and ran his fingers over the bits of skin surrounding the existing cuts before taking the blade and placing it flat. “Since I’ve been a disappointment to you so far allow me to do better.”

Turles shrieked in agony as Gohan took the knife and slowly removed the strip of skin between his and Vegeta’s prior cuts. Vegeta grinned gleefully at his eldest as he began to skin the traitor and nodded in pride to him as he took the blade back. It continued for hours, each trading the blade after they had inflicted a wound; both aiming to draw one agonizing scream after another from the pirate. Gohan took particular satisfaction in carving out the stump of the traitor’s tail as he remembered the agonizing screams his father made years ago in their fight against the pirate. All the while the glowing dagger drank in the offender’s blood.

Throughout the whole time, the prince had a sadistic smirk on his face as blood splattered over his body. His instincts relished in the fact that the one that harmed his family was suffering. The red haze had come back, and it was taking away his logical mind, the roar and chanting of his fellow alphas only further playing to strengthen his need to see the bastard bleed every last drop out.

Turles shouted as he was slashed and stabbed over and over with the dagger. With each time his skin was pierced, there would be a burning sensation like salt being poured into his wounds. The two dominants had moved to his chest once they had cut his back to ribbons. Turles sagged in his bonds as the night passed, screaming until his throat bled and only his shackles kept him upright.

Vegeta moved to cut Turles on the skin over his heart, as the moon reached its zenith the one patch of skin he had purposefully avoided and saved to the last. He brought the blade down in a vicious stab only for the blade to stop on his skin without drawing a single drop of blood. The shorter man looked at the weapon in confusion only to see that the stones were now glowing a bright white again. Gohan looked on in shock, Vegeta looked from the stones to Turles angrily and handed the blade to Gohan in frustration. There was no change to the stones or in the blade’s ability to cut as Gohan placed the blade against Turles’ skin. King Vegeta stood to get a better view of everything silencing the chanting alpha’s with the suddenness of his actions. He stared in disbelief at the goddess’s judgment. A weak laugh came from Turles as he looked up at the prince with an insane gleam in his eyes.

“You….lose….Vegeta!” He said as he laughed again. “The goddess is on my side! You failed!”

“Silence!” The king shouted before his son could violate the goddess’s will although he could not stop the prince from punching Turles in the jaw before stalking out of the arena with a frightening blank look on his face.

The dark skinned saiyan hung limply between the posts with blood dripping down from a cut on his lip. He smirked at the rust colored sand under his boots.

“Lady Tarro has passed her judgment.” King Vegeta began to prevent the shouts of outrage that were sure to come from the dominant saiyans. “Turles is to be branded with the Mark of the Outcast and banished to the outer wasteland. You are no longer welcome among us, Turles son of Onio. While the goddess may have saw fit to spare your life, she did not restore your tail and deem you worthy to live among us, should you return…your life will be forfeit.”

With a wave of the monarch’s hand, Nappa came out with a bright branding iron. The bald saiyan harshly grabbed Turles by the hair. He immediately pressed he hot metal to the unmarred cheek of the space pirate, and he took pleasure at the choked scream Turles let out.

What was left on his cheek was the saiyan symbol for traitor, which reminded Gohan vaguely of a symbol he saw on Earth once. The teen noted the irony that the symbol stood for peace on Earth, but traitor on Vegetasei. 

The young alpha watched impassively as Nappa dragged Turles out of the arena before turning to go back to the palace. He wanted to see Tarble and his brothers after cleaning up the blood off of his body and clothes.

+++++VK++++

Vegeta had also changed out of his bloody clothes, and was now sitting in Goku's garden. He was leaned against the tree with his knees pulled up to his chest and his tail and arms wrapped around his legs. His blank face was tilted up to stare at the moon.

He didn't understand. That mongrel had harmed two betas and three cubs, and Lady Tarro allowed that worthless piece of flesh to live?!

“Why…?” The alpha's voice sounded broken. “Why did you spare him? You knew what he has done, and you allowed him to live?!” Vegeta glared weakly at the white disc in the sky. He fisted his hands in the loose black gi pants he had on as he fought his instincts to kill the space pirate. 

The dominant surged up to his feet and roared at the moon uncaring if he looked insane. He shook his head in denial as he took several deep breaths snarling and baring his fangs. 

“He deserves death! He tried to kill my infant son! He's the reason my mate is gone! What could you possibly see in him that would make you think he deserves life!? That…that…bastard is a monster that will never stop going after my mate and cubs! How can you justify allowing him to keep breathing?!”

The prince was so wound up in his turmoil that he never noticed the tears streaming down his cheeks. He collapsed to his knees and stared at the ground in silence when he didn't receive an answer to his ranting. He felt like a puppet that had its strings cut.

“Karo…” The name was sobbed out as Vegeta squeezed his eyes shut. The alpha brought a hand up to cover half of his face with his fingers tangling in his flame like hair. “I'm sorry… I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry I allowed you to be taken… I couldn't protect you or our cubs…and now…”

He curled back up in a ball under the gentle rays of moonlight with his face buried in his knees. The prince let out a heart-wrenching cry as the stress of the past two days came crashing down on his shoulders. He needed Karo.

“I'll never forgive myself. I allowed you to be taken, and I didn't do anything to stop it. I could feel something was wrong, but I ignored it…it's all my fault you were taken, Karo. This is the second time I’ve lost you, and I don't even know if I can get you back…. Even if I do…you won't want anything to do with me after this…I wouldn't blame you…I wouldn't want anything to do with me either.”

A large hand came down on his shoulder, but Vegeta didn't pay it any mind. His heart felt like it was bleeding out with the amount of pain that was centered in his chest. The bond between Goku and him was so new that he couldn't even feel traces of his mate's energy.

“Vegeta, it's not your fault. We'll find him.” The shorter male could just barely make out Raditz out through the tears in his eyes. The longhaired saiyan had never seen the proud prince like this even when he was a cub under Frieza's control. “You know Kakarot won't blame you. There was nothing you could have done.”

“You're wrong!” Vegeta let out a weak snarl. “I could feel it! I felt something was wrong, but I ignored it! It is my fault that he was taken so easily… I could have stopped it, Raditz! Now he's…he's…”

The younger man let out a sound that almost sounded like a wail as he curled up tighter in his ball. Raditz could see wet spots forming on his gi pants, and he felt slightly lost on how to snap his prince out of his current state of mind.

“I…I promised him that I would protect him, that he would never be forced to go through that again. Not only did I fail my vow to him, I allowed our cubs to be placed in harms way! Vegito would have been killed if it weren't for the lizard! Even if Karo, by some miracle from the gods, doesn't blame me for this…I can’t forgive myself for letting this happen.”

Just then, a hand gripped his hair and fist slammed into Vegeta's face. The shorter alpha sprawled out on the grass out of surprise more then the power behind the hit. He looked up at a fuming Raditz in shock.

“Shut the hell up and get a hold of yourself!” The taller saiyan snarled down at the prince. “Did my brother mate a shivering cub or did he mate with the Prince of all Saiyans!?” Raditz fisted his hand into the crimson gi top the other had on and pulled him up to look the burlier man in the eye.

“Right now, we've got a lead on Shiveria's location thanks to the information Turles provided, and you're sitting here feeling sorry for yourself?! I can understand that you are feeling a lot pain and anger right now, and you need to get it out of your system, but this has gone on long enough!” 

The larger man let go of Vegeta and punched him again. The prince skidded back in the grass a bit as he looked up at his brother in law in shock, hurt, and anger. Raditz rushed at him again with another blow to the chest this time.

“Where the hell is the badass Vegeta who didn’t take shit from anyone? I don’t even recognize you anymore. Are you so whipped by my brother you turned into a spineless wuss?!”

“Why do you even care?!” Vegeta snarled hitting his old friend in the stomach. “I figured you’d be screaming from the damn roof tops that you were right about me all along. Don’t even lie, you hated the fact I mated with your brother and think I’m not good enough for him; congratulations you have your proof. Are you happy now?” His second blow hit Raditz in the face.

“You’re right, Vegeta.” Raditz barked grabbing Vegeta by the arm and throwing him over his shoulder into the ground. “You’re not good enough for Kakarot, no one on this planet is good enough for my little brother. He’s like the second coming of the goddess, and there’s not one alpha worthy of him anywhere.” The bigger man barked angrily planting his boot on the smaller’s chest. “But damn it, you are the only one I can stand to see him with.”

“What?”

“You heard me the first time jackass.” Raditz snarled stepping away from the prince. “I think you are the only alpha I could tolerate being with my brother. You’re strong, practically worship him, and are so possessive it boarders on the insane and you don’t let anyone mess with what is yours, at least you didn’t when I knew you.” He said dropping to the grass beside the now sitting prince.

“Fat lot of good that did me when Lady Tarro let that piece of trash live, I can’t even kill the bastard.” Vegeta growled. Raditz quirked an eyebrow at the prince.

“You think the goddess spared him out of mercy?”

“Why else would she allow that traitor to live after everything he’s done?”

“This may just be my own opinion here, but did you actually pay attention to all the wounds you inflicted on Turles? You and Gohan cut up his back and shoulders so bad I’ll be amazed if you didn’t cripple him. Shit, the boy practically skinned the bastard alive, Father’s still gloating about that. Personally I think she left him alive so he could suffer in the wastes instead of getting off easy with death. He can’t even come near our cities without getting executed now. Does that sound like mercy to you?” He looked over to see Vegeta shaking and wondered if he would have to hit the younger alpha again when there was a bark of laughter.

“No, hairball, suddenly I’m feeling much better about that traitor’s fate. Perhaps she wants Kakarot to have the honor of ending his existence.” He said with a fanged grin. Raditz nodded with his own grin.

“Maybe, Vegeta maybe. So are you going to pull yourself together, get off your ass and go get my brother or do I need to shove my boot up it again to motivate you?” The prince glared at him. “What? It’ a valid question.”

“We’ll leave as soon as preparations are made tomorrow.” Vegeta said standing. “For tonight, I need to see to the cubs. Karo would kill me if I left without spending one more night with them to be sure they were ok.”

“Yeah, probably he would.” Raditz said brushing the grass off his legs.

“Raditz?”

“What.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it Vegeta,” The larger alpha said walking away. “ever.”


	35. Chapter 35

It had been about a week since he had first arrived, and his “training” wasn't going as well as Shiveria wanted it to. He was stubborn, and the lessons and tricks she wanted Goku to learn were not sticking like they should. That much Goku was proud of.

Goku growled as he pulled away from the hand running through his hair, but with the chain connected to the collar around his neck, he couldn't to go to far. The petite hand just waited for him to stop moving before settling back into his spikes.

The beta glared at the frost demon from under his bangs as he watched her look over a report. Shiveria seemed to be oblivious to the look, but he knew better. That woman was terrifyingly observant to her surroundings, and Goku couldn't do anything without her knowing about it.

Her teal tail snaked over the side of her large chair to run over the bare skin of his back. He hated that the female made him wear only black pants that fit him like a second skin. Goku winced as he shifted on his black cushion to pull away from the strange texture of the tail. The lashes on his back were still very sore despite getting them three days ago. He growled as she brushed one of the especially tender wounds before he pulled as far away as his chain would allow and ended up with his back against the back of her chair.

He rested his head against his knees as he enjoyed his brief respite from her incessant petting. The lash marks burned as his skin flexed. With his collar digging into his neck he couldn’t help but remember how he got them.

His “room” was both better and worse than he thought. He wasn’t locked up in a bare cell but that would have been preferable to a cage in Shiveria’s bedroom of all places.

Flashback 

Goku was shivering as he stumbled behind Shiveria with her tail wrapped around his neck like a leash. They traveled through a corridor that made the submissive realize that they were on a ship. A shot of despair ran through his fogged mind over the information, but he couldn't think on it long.

The small female had stopped in front of a pair of metal sliding doors and was looking at him in amusement as Goku leaned against the wall to keep his balance. The cool temperature of the metal his skin was pressed against made him shiver again.

“Well, here we are.” The frost demon typed on a keypad on the right side of the door, and the portal opened with a whooshing sound. Shiveria almost had to drag him after her when he didn't move at first, but as soon as the beta cleared the threshold, she forced him to kneel. “Wait right here while I get you something to dry off with. I don't want you to drip water on my carpet.”

The tail around his neck tightened a bit, but it released him as soon as Goku nodded. The saiyan watched her walk off to another room before taking in the surroundings. He didn’t know if he could actually stand on his own at the moment and had no idea where he could go to escape in any case with how sick he felt.

It was a very large bedroom that was almost the size of his sitting room on Vegetasei. There was a plush ice blue carpet that covered the floor, and off to his left, there was a window that showed the stars passing by as they traveled. An overstuffed aqua blue chair was placed by the window for the optimum view with a small coffee table in front of it. To his right, there was a desk with a computer on it with several stacks of papers and a few additional handheld digital devices. 

In front of him was a large king size poster bed with shear white curtains pulled back to the black headboard. The bed had satiny sky blue sheets that just peeked out from under a midnight blue comforter. The entire room just seemed to make one feel calm, but there was one last detail that made something inside Goku snarl.

Off to the left side of the bed about three feet away from the edge was a cage. It looked like it was big enough for Goku to be able to fully stretch out when laying down and tall enough for him to sit on his knees comfortably. On the bottom was a very thick black cushion with a thin matching blanket. The bars were silver, thin, and looked like icicles and just above the open gate was a hook that had a chain hanging from it.

Seeing the chain made the beta remember the collar around his neck. He blinked a few times before Goku realized that it was expected of him to stay chained up while in the cage, and he reached up to try and pull it off. As soon as his fingers slipped under the metal, a sudden pain bloomed over his back. He shouted in pain as he was shoved forward onto his hands and knees from the blow. A second blow lanced like fire across the previous blow and more followed until he cried out trying to curl away from the painful strikes.

“I had a feeling you were going to force my hand soon.” She said wrapping her tail around his neck again as the beta whined in pain feeling like his back was on fire. “I know you’re disoriented and sick, pet, but this is one lesson I won’t be lenient with you about. You will not touch that collar or your restrains or try to remove them yourself, understand pet? If you do, I promise you won’t like the outcome.” She said tenderly drying shivering beta before pulling him by the throat to his cage. The pain of moving so soon made the beta’s vision blur as he heard the locking of metal and felt his captor release her hold on his neck.

“You’ll just have to do without a blanket for now, pet. Once you learn how to behave I’ll give it back.” Shiveria said patting his head and tugging the leash towards the door of the cage. Goku growled and pulled against his collar not wanting to enter that cage willingly and in pain.

“Now now none of that, pet.” She said firmly as her tail lightly flicked the back of his head. “I know you’re not used to this, but you’ll learn to enjoy it. After you’re trained we’ll see about leaving you out of the kennel at night. Now go lay down in your room, and you can rest until you feel better. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

Goku still sat on the floor pulling backwards in spite of his body’s shaking. He was sweating badly again and he whined trying to curl around his cramping stomach, from the whip marks on his back, and the pounding in his head. Shiveria cooed softly in his ear as she pet his scalp.

“Come on pet, you can rest in your bed, its just a few steps away.” Too tired, sick, and unable to stand any more touching or pulling at his neck Goku reluctantly pulled himself onto the cushion that was his “bed”. “There’s a good boy. You just rest for now, pet.” Shiveria praised as he crawled as far from her as he could get. Thankfully it was significantly wider that it looked from across the room and he could turn around without having to sit up.

He wasn’t sure how long he lay curled against the back of his cage sick and shivering before the lights went out around him, which was a balm to his aching head.

Flashback End 

Ever since that night, Goku had kept his hands away from the collar and cuffs, but he continued to rebel in small ways he discovered over the last few days.

Shiveria kept the saiyan with her constantly, and she used a thin chain to lead the submissive around wherever she went. Whenever she sat on a chair, the frost demon would hook the chain to a ring either on the wall or some other part of the chair. She expected Goku to sit on a cushion by her legs, but he made it a point sit as far from her as the chain would allow.

Every time she would reach out to pet him, the saiyan would growl and shift away from her, and Shiveria would pet him whenever she wasn’t occupied with something. Goku honestly couldn’t say if the collar and leash or her near constant petting irritated him more. He also refused to respond to her commands or questions if she called him “pet”, and would take a long time before he would do what she asked of him if she didn’t hit him for not responding quick enough. Sometimes Goku wondered if he would go crazy without someone to talk to that didn’t treat him like a stupid animal. 

Goku always glared at the petite woman as he carried out her “requests”, he called them tricks. Shiveria had him sit beside her legs whenever she stopped in the hallways until she was ready to walk again, made him kneel with his hands placed on the floor between his knees when he was offered food or water, and crawl to her side whenever she snapped her fingers. The beta had a sinking feeling it was only going to get worse the longer he was here.

Shiveria's tail suddenly moved down his spine making him flinch, and the beta was forced to remember the second time she whipped him. That time was actually an accident on his part, but Goku didn't regret it at all as he smirked to himself.

Flashback 

Shiveria was in a private dinning room with a multitude of foods Goku had never seen before on the table. Despite being almost starving after not being fed at lunch none of the strange foods had any appeal to him. The saiyan had his leash hooked on the right arm of her chair, and he glared at the delicate silvery links that shimmered in the light of the room as he sat almost 2 feet from her close to the wall behind them.

“Stop scowling, pet. You'll get your dinner after your master is finished.” The frost demon tugged on the chain a bit as she spoke with that knowing smirk on her face. She knew he was more upset with the leash than waiting for his meal, but Shiveria enjoyed pushing his buttons to rile him up.

Her words made Goku growl and show a bit of one of his fangs before he got flicked on the back of his head with that thin tail. He snarled tired of her treatment.

“You’re not. My. Master.” He spat the last word out, speaking for the first time in hours. The submissive grunted as the slack in the chain vanished. The woman was pulling him closer to the chair, and he resisted following the force bracing his hands against the floor. She tugged more firmly on his leash and popped him with her tail a second time earning a growl from the beta as he shook his head angrily. “Stop treating me like an animal!”

Shiveria covered her mouth with her free hand as she giggled at his little show before adding more force on the leash to drag him closer. Seeing him so defiant was extremely amusing to the female.

The saiyan snarled as he shifted his legs and pulled back hard on the chain determined to stay where he was, and a loud sound almost echoed in the room as the links snapped landing on the with slight tinkling sounds. His black eyes blinked in confusion, as he suddenly had to stop himself from landing on his back. Several links of chain that still dangled from his collar rattling as he moved.

He looked at the broken links on the floor for a moment before he heard a sigh and a tisking sound.

“You shouldn't have done that, pet.” 

That was the only warning before the submissive was grabbed by the throat. His hand automatically came up to grip the whip like tail to prevent it from completely closing his airway. He was dragged closer to Shiveria to the point where he almost touched her knees with his chest. Goku had to resist the urge to grin knowing he had finally pushed her buttons as he glared back at her.

“Why do you insist on misbehaving? You know it's not going to end well every time you do it, so why do you continue?” The tail around him tightened, and the lack of air made his eyes water. “I had chosen that leash to compliment your new collar, and now I need to order another one.”

Goku was bodily moved by the deceptively strong frost demon, and his neck was released. The saiyan didn't have the time to take a breath before he was struck down flat on the floor. Shiveria's tail hit him harder than the first time, and one lash actually broke the skin on his back. Goku grit his teeth refusing to give in and show he was in pain.

“I suppose I have been to soft on you, pet. I've never had any troubles with any of my previous ones, but then again…none of them were saiyans.” Purple eyes watched emotionlessly as every time Goku tried to get back on his hands and knees, she would strike again with her tail. Her blows grew harder, crisscrossing each other until Goku finally screamed and stayed down hoping she would stop.

Once Shiveria was done, the beta was a whimpering mess with small trails of crimson running down his back. She sighed and got out of her chair and came around to kneel down beside the man’s head. 

She gently ran her hands through wild black hair and wasn't surprised when she received a flinch from her actions. Shiveria's hand slipped down to cup Goku's cheek and pulled his head so he could look her in the eye.

“The next time you break one of the pretty things I get for you, I'll leave scars on your back…not bruises.”

Flashback End 

He winced at the memory but he still couldn’t find it in him to regret what he’d done. If she was going to keep this up he could to. There was only so much she could inflict on him without killing him. He tried to hold in his growl when the tugging at his neck finally came. At least he got this much of a break from her touching.

‘Does she really think I’m going to like her more and listen to her if she pets me, or is it purely to annoy me?’ He wondered ignoring the command. It came again more firmly and he winced as his collar dug into his neck painfully. With a resigned sigh he scooted back onto his cushion as her tail lightly brushed his neck in warning. Sure enough her hand quickly found its way into his hair again and he cringed. She had shortened his chain to barely a foot in length and he couldn’t do more than sit beside her chair or lay right next to it if she let him.

“I know its dull, pet, but running an empire is actually work.” She said amused at his sullenness.

“Awe is you pet bored, mistress?” Goku growled as Chirb came towards them and even Shiveria’s tail flick didn’t quiet him. “I’d be happy to provide him some entertainment for you.”

“As generous as that is of you, Chirb, I think its pretty clear my pet doesn’t like you all that much.” she said petting Goku once again as her attention drifted back to the report in her hand. Onyx eyes remained locked onto the reptile as he continued to growl.

“I’m sure I could work out our differences, mistress.” Goku’s growling increased in volume as his fangs began to peak from his lips.

“Not today, Chirb.” Shiveria said with absolute finality in her voice. “Now be a dear and send in the squad leaders from the alpha sector, they have an update on the situation over there.”

“As you wish.”

“Mistress? There's something you should see.” Another male voice came from the other side of Shiveria's chair. The piece of furniture blocked Goku's view of the speaker, but he did manage to catch the frost demon’s annoyed look.

The hand in his hair patted him one last time before the petite woman walked out of the beta's sight. He hung his head a bit, relieved to be free from her touch, and he rested against the chair with one leg resting on the cushion curved around his body while his other one was pulled up to his chest so he could rest his head on his knee with a bored sigh. He might as well be comfortable while he waited; it was going to be awhile.

Just then, a hand curved around his butt at the base of his tail and squeezed as a finger rubbed at the crease between his cheeks. The action surprised him so much that he lashed out and was about to shout, but a familiar blue hand clamped over his mouth. Goku mentally cursed himself for not paying attention to the blue skinned creep as he tried to shake he head free with a growl unable to pull himself further away with how short his chain was.

Chirb grinned at the submissive as his fingers almost slipped under the waistband of Goku's pants. He glared at the reptile as he reached up with one hand to pull the one in his pants out while his right hand went pull the scaled limb away from his mouth, but his eyes widened when he felt a clawed finger worm inside the tail hole in his pants and move down…

Panic and fury flooded Goku’s mind. Without thinking of the consequences, Goku sank his teeth into the hand that prevented him from speaking so deep that blood filled his mouth.

“Ahhhh!” The shout Chirb let out startled the majority of the workers around the two of them, and Goku kicked out at the reptilian male to put more distance between them. The bigger man stumbled back a couple of paces, but he glared at the saiyan once he regained his footing.

“You little-” Chirb lifted his non-injured hand to hit Goku who glared back in defiance and hatred, but he froze once he looked past the submissive.

Shiveria was standing behind Goku looking at the massive man with her arms crossed under the swell of her bust and a finger tapping on one of her arms. The cold look in her purple eyes made Chirb take a step back and advert his eyes to the floor.

The beta saw the color of teal out of the corner of his eye, and he bared his bloody fangs at the reptile with a snarl. As much as Goku disliked Shiveria, he preferred her over the reptilian standing in front of him since at least she wasn’t interested in raping him.

“Mistress, I…I-I was-“ the white haired man stammered as he tried to come up with something that would allow him to keep his life.

“I know exactly what you were doing, Chirb. You were disobeying my orders. I have told you not to touch my pet without my permission, and yet your feeble mind can not seem to understand my words.” Her eyes narrowed at the lizard making him flinch. She ran her hands through Goku's hair again as she came up beside him. The saiyan turned his face to the side to spit out the nasty fluid in his mouth without taking his eyes off Chirb. Goku growled again as he glared at him.

“I won’t punish my pet for that since you deserved it; I suppose my pet has already punished you enough as well. I’ll tell you one more time. Leave him alone or I’ll let him do worse to you the next time. Oh, be a dear and clean up that mess before you go, Chirb.”

“Yes, mistress.”

“That's a good boy.” Shiveria cooed to the beta as she continued to pet him. Goku growled a final time as he began calming down when the reptile left. “As amusing it is to see you punish him for his stupidity, I can't have my men injured, pet. Next time he tries something like that again, tell me.” She said returning to her seat. 

The beta spat more blood and spit to the side before he settled back on his cushion with nothing else to do. He didn’t care what Shiveria said if he got the chance he was going to kill Chirb to make sure he never touched him again. As Shiveria’s hand resumed its petting again he didn’t mind too much. If that was the price he had to pay for biting that bastard, it was more than worth it.


	36. Chapter 36

Goku wondered if he was beginning to go insane when he was glad to be in the ice demon’s bedroom of all places. He was currently curled up in a ball on his cushion beside Shiveria’s armchair with his tail laying curled over one of his hips to let the muscles rest from being coiled around his waist for so long. 

He wasn’t sure where Shiveria disappeared to after they returned, and she chained him to her chair. The submissive really didn't care where she went as long as he was left alone. Goku was dozing off out of sheer boredom as he rested, something he was starting to do more often he realized.

He wasn't able to do anything, and being still for so long was making him uncomfortable. His usually easygoing demeanor was rapidly being replaced by a near constant irritation and restlessness. At least while he was pregnant he was about to walk around or do light stretches, now he was lucky if he could walk around at all. When he got out of this, he was never going to take the freedom to walk on his own for granted again.

Taking a page out of Master Roshi’s book he had tried his best to exercise his mind using the games he played with Gohan and Goten and going over his lessons from Tarble and his father. It just wasn’t enough. Those games just weren’t meant to occupy someone an entire day, everyday. He could only play “I spy” so many times in a room where the only colors were either lights on consoles or other aliens. People watching was a bust since all they did was grovel, bring Shiveria reports, or work at a console. If he didn’t have to be on guard to look for his chance to escape, he’d try meditation again. His last attempt didn’t go so well considering he tried to access his ki the day after he woke up. All that got him was a migraine.

He was entirely too thankful in his opinion that Shiveria had brought them back to her room as he had had enough of all the lewd stares from the crew of the ship. He hated any positive thoughts he had toward his captor, but those looks reminded him entirely too much of his arrival to Vegetasei, only this time he knew he didn’t have his father, brother, or Vegeta to save him this time if they decided to do something. 

He felt like a piece of meat with some of the looks he got, and now the only one keeping him safe from those people was a frost demon. The beta shivered as his mind flashed to Chirb’s drunken gaze and wished he could scrub his skin raw. At least he only “looked” for the last few days, which was something of a relief even if he still felt violated from them. Goku blamed the party Shiveria held for the looks from the usually reserved crew. He knew for a fact that they stared at him on any given day, with how Shiveria made him dress he wasn’t surprised in the least, but they weren’t usually so obvious about it or vocal for that mater.

Goku initially wasn’t sure why she suddenly demanded a celebration, and he didn’t really care because it wasn’t like he could enjoy it being chained to the wall by Shiveria’s chair in any case. To find out she ordered the celebration to reward her crew for the conquering of a rival system only left a foul taste in his mouth.

The beta sighed to himself as he unwound his tail behind him while looking towards the desk tired of staring out at the stars. He wracked his brain for the hundredth time that day trying to put his finger on what was bothering him so much. It started the previous night, the nagging sensation that he was forgetting something important. He tried part of the night to think what it could possibly be before he gave up and slept assuming it was some appointment at the palace that only brought another pang of homesickness.

A soft whine escaped the beta as he curled in on himself more. He missed his cubs. He missed Vegeta. More than anything he wanted to be home with his family. It had almost been two weeks and he was still no closer to getting away, and the worst part was he was still unable to even grasp a flicker of his ki without coming close to blacking out. 

Being away from Geta and Vegito, his baby, hurt like an open wound in his chest. He was coming up on two months soon and Goku was missing his baby grow up again. It was killing him that this was the third time he was missing his cub’s childhood. At least he was there for Gohan for a little while, he completely missed everything with Goten since he was dead when the cub was born.

Black eyes widened as he sought out the calendar on the ice demon’s desk. He had to think and figure out days on the Planet Trade Calendar, which was also used on Vegetasei, and what the Earth equivalent was. Double checking a second time nearly brought tears to the submissive's eyes. 

It was Goten’s birthday, today was Goten’s eighth birthday. And he missed it. His eyes clenched shut as he curled in tightly to block out everything. He promised he’d never miss another special day with Goten, and he broke it. His hate for Shiveria only grew in that moment. Instead of being home and making his cub happy he was stuck here with this crazy bitch being treated like a dog and forced to attend a celebration for the murder of innocent people. It wasn’t fair! Why did situations keep happening that made him fail his cubs?

‘I’m so sorry Goten.’ Goku thought miserably. ‘I’d give anything to be home with you and our family right now. I’m so sorry I broke my promise to you.’

He wanted to give in and cry in that moment, to scream and rage at how unfair everything was, but he didn’t. That wouldn’t help him and all it would do was give Shiveria something else to mock him with. He took a deep breath and tried to will himself to sleep to end his horrible day. He was so focused on finding a few moments of respite he forgot to pay attention to his surroundings. 

The hair on his neck rose as a hand grabbed his tail and felt around the base before he felt something hard brush painfully against the fur. The touch startled him so bad that he raked his nails over whoever was fondling the black furred appendage. He expected to see the blue skinned reptile bleeding from his assault and saw red as he snarled. Instead teal skin and purple blood registered in his mind as Shiveria clutched at a massive bleeding wound that wrapped around one shoulder and down her chest as she jumped away from him while dropping something small and silver that bounced on the carpet.

His dark eyes focused on the object, and his blood boiled as he grabbed the decorative tail ring and threw it at Shiveria with a snarl. She knocked it away with her tail and looked up at him absolutely livid.

“You’re going to pay dearly for this pet.” She hissed. Goku snarled and grabbed his chain ripping it off the chair where it was latched by tearing the arm of the chair completely off as he stood and faced her. His rage gave his physical strength a boost as he glared at the frost demon.

“I. Am. Not. Your. PET!” Goku snapped defiantly as he snapped the chain near his collar before throwing it and the piece of chair at Shiveria. He was done playing her games. “My name is KAKAROT!” He snarled as she dodged his weapon and lashed out with her tail at him aiming for his throat. His arm shot up as he blocked her strike by stepping back and allowing the tail to wrap around his forearm much to Shiveria’s surprise. His hands clamped down on the slender appendage with his nails digging into the flesh as he grabbed it with both hands and heaved.

“Lets see how you like being dragged around.” He spat swinging the surprised woman into the side of her desk with a snarl before he heaved again slamming her into the floor. He felt satisfied when the beta saw a smear of purple blood stain the pristine carpet. He tightened his hold on the tail with little crescent marks from his nails causing more drops of blood to fall.

The submissive pulled the frost demon closer with a snarl, and he attempted to stomp down on one of her hips. Shiveria managed to roll out of the way enough to make Goku land a bit off balance. She aimed a weak ki blast at his head, but he pulled back so the energy missed his face.

Seeing that he couldn't match her like this, the beta took a step back and pulled on Shiveria's tail lifting her petite body off the floor. She kicked out at him as he went to slam her a second time, and he let go of her mid swing sending her crashing through the door to her room. 

Goku’s chest heaved with his exertions and rage as Chirb and two guards rushed in with blasters pointed at him. He snarled at his rapist and jumped away from the lizard who came at him faster than expected.

“Enough!” Shiveria shouted as her ki exploded outward blowing a wider hole in her wall. The ball of ki in her hand shot forward, and caught Goku in the shoulder. He snarled in pain catching his balance before he looked up to see Shiveria in his face. Her fist buried itself in his ribs with a crack that drove the saiyan to his knees as she knocked the air out of him before spinning and slamming her heel into his jaw throwing him into a wall hard enough to dent the steel of the ship.

Goku was allowed no respite as that long tail coiled tightly around his neck cutting off his air and beating him against the wall a second and third time before throwing him face down into the floor. The beta gasped trying to weakly claw his way free of her choking grip before her foot stomped down on his tail, causing his vision to go white.

“I’ve been far too lenient with you, pet.” She hissed. “I expected you’d try to resist, they all do at first. They all learned it was useless but you,” She stomped on the black limb a second time drawing a strangled agonized scream from the beta. “you are the most stubborn,” she stomped a third time, “rebellious,” and a fourth, “and defiant pet I have ever had to break.” She hissed grinding the abused limb under foot having let the saiyan go during her speech. Goku could only writhe on the floor and scream as it felt like she was twisting his spine.

“Well, no more.” She hissed angrily. “Here I had intended to reward you for your behavior earlier tonight with something pretty for you to wear on this ugly tail of yours.” Goku’s eyes watered as he felt yet another bone in the tender limb break as her foot ground down again. “Not only did you break my things, but you attacked me. I warned you what would happen pet. I should have done this from the start it seems, but I do so hate scaring up my pets.” Her tail cracked against his skin ripping into it drawing another pained scream from the beta. There was another crack almost immediately following the first and Goku screamed under the onslaught of lashes quickly losing count as she beat him and used his tail to hold him down.

When she finally stopped, the scent of copper filled his nose and he whined with each breath as his cracked ribs and back protested the small movement of his lungs. She lifted her foot and pain flooded his abused tail as she stepped away from him.

“Chirb.”

“Yes, mistress.”

“Bring me his children.” Fear grabbed hold of Goku at those four words.

“N-no!” Goku trembled in pain as he tried to look up at the ice demon. Her tail lashed the side of his face with a crack, snapping his head to the side with a pained cry.

“Be silent.” Shiveria snapped.

“P-please.” The beta begged with tears in his eyes ignoring her command as he stuttered clinging to consciousness. “Please, n-not my c-cubs.”

“I warned you what would happen if you repeatedly disobeyed me, monkey.” Shiveria said coldly with a gleam of joy in her amethyst eyes. “It seems this is the only way you’ll learn who is in charge here.”

“I’m b-begging you.” Goku pleaded. “Please, I’ll do anything, just leave them alone. Please….” Shiveria raised a hand to stop Chirb from leaving.

“Anything you say.” Shiveria cooed with a smirk. “My that’s a bold statement from you. Say if I told you to allow Chirb to touch you? To allow him to have his way with you?” Goku clenched his eyes and remembered he was doing this for his children before he nodded in shame and pain. 

“I’m sorry what was that?” She asked sounding genuinely confused. “I couldn’t hear your answer.”

“Yes.” Goku whispered unable to meet her gaze as he looked at the floor.

“What was that, pet?” She prodded again. “Yes, what?” Goku bit back the snarl threatening to come out and swallowed his pride.

“Yes, mistress.” The word was sour and made him cringe as he said it.

“That’s not the right phrase pet.” Shiveria chimed with a tsk. Goku felt something in him break realizing exactly what she wanted him to say. The faces of his sweet cubs flashed in his mind as Chirb chuckled softly.

“Yes…master.”

“It seems you can learn after all, pet.” Shiveria said picking something up with her tail and rolling it in her hands. “Very well, I’ll leave your precious children alone as long as you do everything I tell you, when I tell you to do it. If you disobey me even the slightest, I’ll have your cubs brought here and make you watch as they suffer before I kill them with my bare hands. Understand, pet?”

“Yes, master.” Goku said with a flinch as he held in his tears, if nothing else he was relieved his cubs were safe.

“Oh don’t think your punishment is over pet.” Shiveria said slyly as she knelt next to him. “We’re only just getting started, I promised you scars and these aren’t nearly deep enough to do the job. But first, here’s your present for behaving so well at the party. Your tail is going to need something to make it look good after this.” Goku shrieked as she rammed the tail ring down his shattered tail to its base.

+++++

Raditz let out a huge yawn as he sank into a chair in Tarble's suite. The two full blooded saiyans had done everything they could to give Goten a good birthday, but without Vegeta and Kakarot, the boy wasn't enthusiastic about the day at all.

The younger prince had invited some teens and older kids for a party that did manage to distract both Trunks and Goten for a few hours thankfully. Seeing the small bit of happiness on the sensitive cub’s face had lifted the spirits of most of the adults around him.

“I hate that Goten's so depressed.” Raditz murmured out loud. “It's almost a crime against nature to see him like this.”

“Can you blame him?” The beta asked while he bounced a sleepy Vegito. “His tama has been taken, and his father is off planet with his older brother and grandfather. I'm just thankful that he had a good time at his party.” The smaller man ran a hand through his hair with a sigh.

The worn out saiyans took in the quiet with gratitude. Taking care of three upset cubs was very tiring. 

A scream from the cubs’ room startled Tarble as he sat rocking Vegito with Raditz nearly falling out of his chair. The scent fear and tears spiked in the room as another shriek of pure terror and pain rang out.

Both adults ran into the boy’s room to see Goten thrashing and screaming in his sleep drenched in sweat. Trunks huddled near the younger saiyan but looked terrified, unsure what to do while Sushi whined at the foot of the bed. Tarble quickly handed a wide-eyed and silent Vegito to his other uncle and crawled onto the bed and shook the boy.

“Goten!” The small demi saiyan’s eyes snapped open before he sobbed and curled against the headboard holding onto his dragon with a death grip.

“Its ok, Goten,” Tarble cooed softly as he tried to calm his nephew. “It was a just bad dream, you’re safe here in your room.”

“Tama’s hurt.” The small boy sobbed out shaking his head not moving from where he curled. “She’s hurting him! Tama was crying!”

“Goten…” Tarble didn’t know what to tell the cub. He knew it was just a bad dream, but he couldn’t lie to the cub knowing Goku was indeed likely to be hurting after this long.

“Daddy needs to find them.” Goten pleaded looking up at his uncles. “He needs to make her stop.”

“Squirt, its ok.” Raditz said sitting and pulling Trunks closer to give the lavender haired cub a little comfort from his scare. “You just had a bad dream.” Tarble finally managed to gather the sobbing cub into his arms and purred to try soothing him with no luck. Goten was sobbing and shaking so hard the beta was worried he’d be sick as he stubbornly shook his head at Raditz’s words with a high keening whine of distress.

“Someone needs to make her stop.” He cried clinging tightly to Tarble’s shirt as his tail curled between his legs. “Please, just make her stop! Tama’s bleeding!”

“Call Vegeta.” Tarble said finally as he rubbed Goten’s back. Raditz nodded and took Trunks with him and Vegito as they went ahead to the command center. Sushi looked back to the crying boy before following the longhaired saiyan.

They were expecting to have to call Vegeta at some point but not quite this soon. Still it would do the cub good to speak with his father. Hopefully Vegeta could calm him down and wish the cub a happy birthday as well as giving them some good news about Kakarot.


	37. Chapter 37

Tarble hugged Goten closer as he waited anxiously for Raditz to get in contact with Vegeta. The still crying cub was inconsolable as he spoke of what he saw in his dream between broken sobs. Tarble was disturbed by the dream itself; the beta had no idea how or why the black haired boy had dreamed of something so vivid, and it made him very worried about his nephew. They had been so careful to keep things like that from the cubs for this very reason. They were just too young.

The boy started to cough as he continued to vent his emotions. His small hands fisted in Tarble's shirt as if the submissive prince was the only thing keeping him from falling back into that horrible nightmare he just had.

A beeping was barely heard over Goten's crying, and Tarble had never felt so relieved as he rushed into the sitting room with his arms full of half saiyan. Once at the console, he saw his older brother already on the screen.

The older man's eyes widened at the sight of his youngest stepson in tears. The alpha didn't think something like this would happen only a week after he had left the planet, and he felt guilty that he couldn't be there to comfort the cub.

“Goten?” Vegeta's voice made the cub freeze for a moment before he pulled his face out of Tarble's tear soaked shirt. His breathing hitched as he saw his father, and a hiccuping cough rattled his frame. “What's wrong, tesoro?” 

“Daddy! You need to make her stop!” Goten moved forward so fast he nearly fell out of the beta's lap. It was only Tarble's reflexes that kept the black haired cub on his perch. “Tama's hurt! She won't stop! She-she…!”

His eyes squeezed shut as he sobbed again and hiccups were interrupting his breathing. Goten pulled his dragon closer and buried his face in the plush fur as he saw what his tama was going through in his dream again. His whole body shook in stress and from his sobs.

“Calm down, cub.” The prince spoke with a soothing tone. “You'll get sick if you don't. Take a deep breath.” He gave a small smile as the boy followed his instructions. “That's it. Now…tell me again.”

“T-the mean lady, she’s hurting tama!” Goten said between his hiccuping sobs. “She keeps hitting him and won’t stop.” He whined loudly as he squeezed his dragon. “H-he…He was b-bleeding and crying…”

“Take another deep breath for me, tesoro.” Vegeta said calmly as he saw the cub getting worked up again. “That’s my boy.” He praised as the boy listened to him.

“S-she, she hurt his tail too, really bad. Tama screamed so loud….” Goten whimpered as he remembered his tama’s scream. “Daddy you have to make her stop! She’s hurting tama!” He begged.

“I know, son. I’m going to make sure she doesn’t hurt your tama again.”

“Why can’t you stop her n-now?” he sniffed.

“We have to find her first, tesoro, she’s hiding and we have to catch her.” Goten whimpered as his eyes filled with tears again. “Hey, I promise your Tama will be ok.” Vegeta cooed to the chibi. “I know it was scary, but it was just a dream, alright? Your tama is very strong, remember?” Goten nodded with teary eyes.

“But what if she hurts him again? W-what if-”

“Shh, its ok.” Vegeta cut the distraught child off. “You can’t worry about if it happens again tesoro, you can’t think like that. You’ll make yourself sick. Your tama and I don’t want that.”

“But I don’t want tama to hurt!”

“I know.” Vegeta replied softly. “I don’t want him hurt either, but some very bad people took him, tesoro. As much as we don’t like it, your tama is going to be a little hurt until we can bring him home. He’ll be ok, Goten. Every time you get scared and worry about your tama I want you to tell yourself that. Can you do that for me tesoro?” Goten nodded as his hiccuped breathing finally calmed and came to a stop.

“Why do you keep calling me that?” Goten asked with a frown on his face. “You said you wouldn’t call me names anymore.” Vegeta smiled a bit relieved that the boy wasn't crying anymore.

“I can stop if you like but this is a very special name, Goten, it’s my way of showing you how special you are to me.”

“Like how you call tama Karo and he calls you Geta?” The chibi asked as he leaned back on Tarble’s lap and cuddled his dragon. His eyes fluttered sleepily as he leaned back on Tarble's chest. 

“That’s right, just like that.”

“But its not like my name.” Goten said with a confused pout. “Gohan only ever called me Ten, and tesoro isn’t like that.”

“You’re right its not a short version of your name, nicknames can be new words that mean something special.”

“So what’s mine mean?” Goten asked curious with a yawn.

“It’s a word in our old language.” Vegeta gently explained. “When I call you Tesoro, I’m calling you “my treasure” because I love you and all your brothers very much.”

“Th-that's a nice name.” The crying had exhausted the cub and his eyes fell shut as he murmured, “I love you too daddy.”

Vegeta narrowed his eyes for a moment, studying Goten's face. Seeing that the boy didn't look like he would wake any time soon had the alpha's shoulders sagged as he looked back to his sibling.

“He's out.” The older male whispered, and Tarble relaxed back in the chair he was sitting on. “What brought this on? I wasn't expecting a call like this for another week or so.”

“I'm not sure, but something just seems off. Goten's dream was too detailed to be a random nightmare. Dear Kalious, his screams Geta…I never want to hear that from him again.” The beta tiredly commented as he shifted his nephew in his arms. He could see the tear trails that had been left on that innocent face, and Tarble felt his heart clench before he gently dried the child’s face with the sleeve of his sleep shirt. “He hasn't been sleeping well understandably, but this was the first time he's been this upset.”

“We'll worry about that later, I’m just glad he’s calm and sleeping for now. I just hope it doesn’t get that bad again for your sake and his.” Vegeta looked at the younger prince in concern. “You should get some rest as well. I know from experience that taking care of all three boys is very taxing on a person.”

“I'm just thankful that Trunks and Vegito have been somewhat easier to handle. Although, Vegito has had his moments, but as long as he's with me, they’re not so bad. Any news on Kakarot's location?” The beta looked eager for any information so he could pass the word along. He had been getting inquiries every day from various saiyans about their Prince Consort.

“We've got a lead from one of Bardock's old contacts on where Shiveria was last located. Apparently she's very similar to Frieza, and her men just conquered a star system three to four weeks from our current location.”

“Do you think she'll stay there long enough for you to get there?” 

“From what I know of her, she will. She'll need to be close if she wants to sell the planets. Fortunately, that could take months for her to do. If we are lucky we can reach the system before she gets wind of our approach.” The dominant's eyes burned with determination. “I'll check in with you in a few days, brother. Take care of yourself and the cubs.”

“Good luck, Vegeta. Bring him home.” Tarble said disconnecting the call on his end. Vegeta sagged in his chair and ran his hands through his hair in a mix of exhaustion and frustration. He seriously was hoping Goten and the kids would have been ok longer than two weeks. He just hoped he managed to calm Goten enough to keep him from getting that inconsolable again.

“What happened to Goten?” Vegeta looked up to see his eldest half asleep in the doorway.

“He had a nightmare about Karo.” Vegeta said running his hand through his hair again before rubbing his neck in exhaustion. “He was so worked up about it he almost made himself sick. Goten begged me to make her stop hurting him.” The alpha shivered at the image of his mate bleeding how Goten described it. He couldn’t imagine what that was like for the child to see, especially one as sensitive as Goten.

“Why would Ten have a nightmare about that?” Gohan asked dropping into another chair as Bardock leaned against the wall. “I know Tarble and Raditz wouldn’t have told them anything that could have given them that kind of idea.”

“Your brother is very attached to Kakarot, Gohan.” Bardock offered. “His mind could be dealing with his fears and worries about his Tama with this nightmare.”

“Tarble wonders if it could be something else.” Vegeta offered. “He thinks it was too detailed to just be his fears playing out. I’m not sure what to believe, I just hope it doesn’t happen again.”

“Is that possible?” Gohan asked surprised. “Could Goten actually know what was happening to Dad?” Bardock growled a little.

“Its possible, but very unlikely.” He said finally. “That kind of ability does exist, I’ve seen it, but I think your brother is a simply a very empathic person and combined with his nightmare and anxiety about Kakarot it played out more vividly than it would for another child. Goten isn’t that naive about being hurt as you think, Gohan. He told Kakarot and I what your mother did to him. He also told us about fighting Buu; your little brother has some mental scars, Gohan. I know you had similar experiences at his age but you aren’t as soft hearted as he is.”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Gohan.” The eldest saiyan said sharply. “You tried to protect him from everything you went through and give him a real childhood. For the most part you succeeded. We can’t worry about Goten right now, as hard as that is. He’s going to be fine and all the cubs are safe in the palace at home.”

“Bardock’s right, we need to focus on getting Karo back home. There’s nothing we can do about your brother right now. Getting Karo home will do the most good for the cubs and us.”

“You and Gohan should get some sleep, Vegeta.” He said placing a hand on his son-in-law’s shoulder. “I’ll take the next watch and wake you if something happens.”

+++VK++++

When he woke next, Goku was laying on his stomach beside his kennel in a painful daze. He cringed every time his chest expanded to take in air as the movement pulled at the still open lashes on his back. It felt like his lungs were on fire with how painful breathing was, not to mention the throbbing that came from his poor tail.

It was like he was underwater. Shiveria was speaking with Oaklio at her desk but his pain-fogged mind didn’t seem to grasp at what they were saying as he drifted in and out of awareness. He let his eyes close against the overhead lights and pushed his face into his cushion to ease his headache with a faint whine in his throat.

“You certainly did a number on him, mistress,” the goat said as both stopped beside him. “I’ve never seen you do this much damage to any of your pets before now.”

“He is easily the most stubborn pet I’ve had to break.” She hissed in irritation. “Will he require additional treatment or are you done?”

“Let me perform one last inspection, mistress.” One onyx eye opened and stared up through the haze of pain as the goat began prodding his back almost gently. Goku felt the occasional set of stitches now that he focused on the hands touching him as his eye slid closed again. An irritating snap near his ear caused him to turn his head away from the sound as it was repeated several times. The sound made the pounding in his head worse.

Before long a hand grabbed his head and lifted it up and pulled open his mouth. Yellow eyes narrowed as he looked down his sore throat, and Goku let him. He didn’t want to fight the doctor, not when they could possibly stop his pain. That changed when a bright light shined in his pupils making his head feel like it was splitting open.

Goku couldn't stop the growl that came instinctively, but no sound was heard. He blinked a few times in confusion after Oaklio switched the light off. The goat lifted a brow at the lack of noise, and he leaned back with a hand rubbing his chin.

“I need you to say something, monkey. I don't care what, just speak.” Oaklio waited impatiently as the beta tried to make sense of the request. 

He opened his mouth to ask what the brown haired man wanted to know, but once again, no sound was heard. Feeling a little more aware, Goku tried again. A small whine of confusion was heard when the saiyan finally stopped. The goat-like alien was unsurprised from the look on his face and left the saiyan as he gathered his instruments.

“Everything seems to be mending just fine save for his tail, mistress. There was no sign of head trauma either or any side effects from the procedure you requested. I would like to recommend that your pet remain resting here in your rooms until his stitches come out.” Oaklio reported as he got to his feet. “If he is forced to move more than necessary for bathing or otherwise, it could cause massive damage to the muscles in his back. He’ll need the lashes washed everyday while they’re open and healing to stop infection since you declined bandages or ointments for quicker healing. I will provide a solution suitable for your commands and visit daily if you prefer.”

“Very well. I do not want my pet too damaged despite the marks he left behind.” Shiveria muttered the last part as she felt over the three slashes on her chest. “I believe that is all I require of you at the moment, Oaklio.”

Goku tried to ask what was wrong with his voice, but he ended up having to whine to get the attention of the other two in the room.

“What was that, pet?” Shiveria asked with a cruel smile. “I can't understand you. You need to be a little more clear.” Goku flinched at her tone and how much her words reminded him of Chi-chi.

The submissive painfully moved his arm so he could point at his throat. He whimpered in pain as his skin shifted.

“Oh, you want to know why you can't speak? That's just another part of your punishment. While you were unconscious, I had an epiphany. Pets can't talk back to their owners. So I had Oaklio here partially paralyze your vocal cords, now there will be no more of that irritating backtalk or growling from you.”

Goku’s heart sped up in fear as his breathing quickened. She….she took away his voice? He tried to growl or purr, anything to make some kind of sound but all he managed was a low whine in the back of his throat. Panic and terror threatened to overwhelm him. How could you just take away someone’s voice!

“You should be grateful pet, now you don’t have to worry about that mouth of yours getting your cubs into trouble.” Shiveria said carelessly breaking Goku from his thoughts. “It’s not irreversible of course, not yet anyways; although I find the idea has a certain appeal to it. I’ll admit you’ve forced me get much more creative pet. Since my usual methods proved ineffective on you I’ve decided to try some new tactics.” She knelt next to the cage and looked Goku in his eyes relishing in the fear she saw beginning to grow there. “If you’re good, maybe I’ll decide to fix your voice pet. Of course, I have no problem making it a permanent feature, its not as though you actually used it for anything besides disobedience.” Goku whined softly, flinching as she touched his bruised cheek.

“I’m far from done making you pay for your actions pet, your punishment is only just beginning.” She smiled as Goku’s breathing hitched and panic filled his eyes.

“Oh, I’ll keep my word pet, your little cubs are safe so long as you do exactly as you’re told. No, I have other ideas for your continued punishment.” The beta jerked with a silent scream as her tail delicately lifted his. “For starters this ugly tail of yours is going to heal on its own. I personally think it’s an improvement, and doesn’t your tail ring look so nice.” She said as her tail caressed the black limb while Goku whimpered trembling in pain. Just the feather soft touch was enough to make him want to vomit.

“I think we’ll see how you behave without eating for a few days. Besides, we wouldn’t want you to make a mess in your room if you get sick from the pain, now would we.” Goku whimpered as his tail was let go. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what will happen if I return to find you disobeyed me and hurt yourself further, do I pet?” Goku shook his head weakly before she stood and walked to the doors of her room.

“Be a good boy, I’ll be back later this evening.” She said almost cheerfully before plunging the room into darkness and locking the doors behind her. The beta buried his face in the cushion once again and choked on a silent sob as he lay in the dark. He knew Shiveria was no doubt aware of his tears, but he took solace in the fact that at least she couldn’t see them. His watery eyes looked over at the window, and he could see the faintest of red stars. Goku bit his lip and let out another whine.

'Geta....please hurry.’ he prayed silently. ‘Please….I can’t do this by myself.'


	38. Chapter 38

It was late when Goten slipped from his bedroom and entered the halls of the palace. Sushi was walking silently beside the young saiyan both trying to comfort him and to protect his small master. One of his small hands clutched his dragon while the other rested on the panzaon’s side as they walked.

He wanted his Tama and Daddy to come home. He wanted Gohan back too, and Grandpa Bardock. Uncle Tarble was sad a lot and he was always worried now. He needed someone to help his family. Since he couldn’t sleep now was as good a time as any to ask.

The demi saiyan entered the room he found a few days ago. It was small compared to his family’s rooms and a little dusty but it had a shrine of Tarro in it and a few benches. He knelt in front of the altar and clasped his hands together.

‘Lady Tarro, please bring my family home soon.’ He prayed. “Please, I don’t want to lose my family. Me, Trunks, Uncle Tarble, we all need Daddy and Tama back home. Vegito too. They’re not gonna see him grow up if they don’t come back. And if they aren’t here, some one could hurt him like they hurt me and Daddy. I don’t know if I can stop them by myself. Please. I’m scared and just I want my Tama and Daddy back.” Tears fell from his bowed face as he spilled his heart to the goddess. “Please Lady Tarro help them. I’ll do anything, so please help them.”

“Shouldn’t you be asleep, young one?” Goten’s head jerked up at the soft voice. A short slender woman in loose clothes and silver chain with a crescent moon pendant was standing near the entrance to the temple. Her shoulder length black hair had a silver sheen to it. Sushi was laying near one of the benches watching her contently before resting his head on the floor and returning to sleep. Stubbornly Goten wiped tears from his eyes.

“Who are you?” Goten asked curiously while getting up. “I didn’t mean to bother anyone coming here.”

“You didn’t bother me little one, I care for the shrines. Night is a good time for it.” She explained sitting on a bench near the altar. “Now what brings you here this late? You must have a lot on your mind.”

“I couldn’t sleep.” He said moving to sit on the bench with her. “Uncle Tarble told us we could ask Lady Tarro for help if we ever needed it. I just want my Tama and Daddy to come home. That mean lady is hurting him. I keep having bad dreams about Tama hurting and crying.” Goten said pulling his knees to his chest as his eyes watered again. “I’m scared and I just want them to come home. I need my Tama and my Daddy.”

“Your Tama is a very strong person, young one. He will come home. All of them will come home.” She said gently as she ran her fingers through the boy’s hair.

“When?”

“Soon enough, little one.” She said with a soft smile that reminded him of his tama, and it soothed the cub’s troubled heart a little. “The Lady has heard your prayers, I have a strong feeling she will help your family come home.” Goten sniffed wiping at his eyes again before he hugged her.

“Thank you for listening to me.”

“You are welcome, little one.” She answered hugging him back before standing. “Just remember to keep your hope and faith alive in here,” The woman touched the spot just below Goten's collarbones with the tips of three of her fingers. “and Lady Tarro will always be close to you. Now...you should head back to bed, you wouldn’t want to worry anyone if they find you missing. Young cubs need their sleep to grow big and strong.”

“Ok.” Goten nodded hopping down as he grabbed the stuffed dragon that had been resting against his hip and rousing his pet. He stopped and looked back at the woman in front of the shrine. “Can I come back and visit again?” The woman smiled softly.

“You are always welcome here, little one. Perhaps we will see each other again.”

Goten smiled and waved at the woman as he left. He felt a bit better after talking to her, and he touched the spot on his chest that still felt a little warm. He frowned in thought and that made Sushi brushed his head on the black haired boy’s shoulder.

“I'm ok, Sushi.” He scratched under the panzaon's chin making the lizard purr a bit. “I just wish I had asked for that lady's name before I left.” 

As Goten turned to look back at the shrine, his eyes caught something on his reflection in a nearby window. Black eyes widened as he rushed to get closer to the glass, and his fingers trembled as they reached to part the neck of his large white sleep shirt so he could get a better look.

On the spot where the woman had touched him was a silvery white lotus flower with very light green vines coming from either side of the flower and winding around his neck. The marks shimmered faintly in the moonlight.

When the cub remained frozen for a long time, Sushi tilted his head. He whined as he nudged his small master’s shoulder again, and the movement shocked Goten out of his stupor.

“What are these?!” He ran his fingers over the marks, and he noticed that his skin was smoother as he felt over the vines. Remembering the woman he met in the shrine, the half saiyan looked back at the lizard. “Come on, boy. I need to ask that lady what she did to me!”

Goten rushed back to the shrine with Sushi lopping beside him. When the pair got to the doorway, the boy was disheartened to see that the shrine was empty. He walked around the whole room to see if the woman might be hiding, but he was alone.

“Oh…Sushi, she's gone. What am I going to do…?” Goten hugged his dragon close to him as his tail wound around his leg. The dark reptile came around and nuzzled the side of the boy's face. “Do you think Uncle Tarble would know?” 

Sushi chirped softly and wagged his tail in agreement purring and rubbing his chin on Goten’s head. The black haired cub felt along the marks again as he looked around the room again.

“I hope he won't be mad…” A massive yawn shook his body as he grew sleepy thanks to his pet’s attention. He wearily rubbed one eye with his free hand and climbed onto Sushi’s back . “I’ll ask him in the morning, Sushi. I’m sleepy now.”

++++KV++++

The rattle of his chain and opening of his cage door finally drew Goku back into consciousness, as he weakly opened his eyes. True to her word Shiveria hadn’t fed him anything for a little over a week. At least Oaklio gave him water when he checked on his wounds. He couldn’t remember, but the beta was pretty sure it was a bad thing he didn’t feel hungry any more. He could have sworn he heard Geta talking to him the other day.

“Get up, pet, your stitches are out and we have a busy day.” Shiveria said with a hint of irritation in her voice. Goku pushed himself up slowly with a whine as he struggled to his knees to crawl out of his cage. He didn’t have the energy to wonder if he did something wrong. His arms shook violently before giving out on him as his head spun with dizziness.

“I said get up, pet.” Shiveria’s tail lashed impatiently behind her and Goku trembled at the warning. With a grunt he pushed his muscles to hoist his body off the ground. He only made it two feet out of the cage before his weakness hit him hard. He swayed and braced himself up right breathing shallow breaths before his collar dug into his neck and he hit the floor with a whine. Shiveria’s tail snapped near his ear earning a flinch from the beta. 

“I am not in the mood for your games, pet.” Shiveria snapped. “You will get up or I will make your last punishment look tame compared to what I will put you through.” Goku whined in his throat as her tail hit the back of his head. He was so tired….

“Get up or so help me I’ll replace you with one of your children.” Shiveria snapped. “I’m sure one of them would be more obedient. Doesn’t one of them look like you? You named him Goten I believe.” He whined as his eyes looked up at her pleading. Shaking, Goku tried to force his limbs to move in spite of his exhaustion. Panting he got his upper body off the floor before his arms gave out. He lay on the floor feeling like he was about to have a heart attack for a second time. She struck him again and he didn’t even have the energy to flinch.

“Last warning, pet.”

“Mistress?”

“What is it, Oaklio, I’m busy. It seems I have to discipline my pet again.”

“That’s actually why I’m here, mistress.” The goat said hesitantly. Shiveria looked away from the panting beta and fixed her enraged glare on the doctor.

“You had me monitor his vitals periodically through his cuffs, and I’ve noticed severe change in his condition.”

“Being beaten nearly to death does have that effect, Oaklio.”

“This isn’t from his beating, mistress.” He said handing her a tablet of some sort. “Since you acquired him your pet has been losing weight. It started small, maybe a pound every two days give or take, expected with his metabolism and change to a more sedentary behavior and controlled meals.”

“Get to the point.”

“Your pet has lost a total of 30 pounds since his arrival, most of which was lost since you stopped his meals several days ago. He isn’t being disobedient, mistress, he physically can not lift his body in his current state. Saiyans have an incredibly high metabolism and your pet especially so. Your pet has been in the second stage of starvation since his arrival and gone straight into the third with his recent punishment because he had no body fat to burn.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, if you continue his previous rations your pet will die within the year. His body requires 4 times the sustenance you have been giving him and he needs protein daily. As it stands he will need fluid nutrients for a day or two to readjust his body to food without sending him into shock.” Shiveria said nothing and knelt next to the beta who looked up tiredly.

“Oh pet, I’m sorry.” He didn’t even respond as she pet his hair. “It looks like I went overboard when I punished you. If you had just behaved yourself this might not have happened.” She handed his chain to the goat. “I have business to attend to, apparently I have more insurgents to deal with in the alpha quadrant and one of the engines is severely malfunctioning. You are in charge of him, Oaklio. You may leave him out of the kennel until he gets enough strength to move on his own. I’ll check back with you this evening and I will expect some progress.”

“As you wish.” Goku whimpered softly as two guards entered behind Shiveria as she left and he was lifted off the floor and taken to his cushion by her chair.

‘Don’t fight them.’ Vegeta's voice whispered to the beta. Black eyes widened at the voice in his mind as Oaklio knelt beside him and held a needle in his hand.

“Trust me, monkey, this wont hurt you. If you don’t get better its both our necks on the line.” He said sticking the whimpering beta in the neck and injecting something. “That should help take the edge off some of your symptoms until the IV does its job. The best thing you can do is sleep until we can try you on some broth.” In the end Goku blacked out as the goat started his IV, if they were going to do anything to him it would happen if he was awake or not and right now he was too tired to care.

+++VK++

Goten jerked awake and shivered before hugging himself. His own stomach twisted with uncomfortable familiarly at his tama’s treatment. He wanted the dreams to stop.

“You ok, Goten?” Trunks asked sitting up from where he leaned against Sushi, the shoulder of his own sleep shirt falling off his small shoulders. The older boy had taken to staying in bed with him out of concern for his brother. “Was it another bad dream?” The dark haired boy nodded and crawled forward and leaned into Trunks for a hug.

“I want them to stop.” Goten said with a whine. “I don’t want to see tama like that.”

“Its just a dream remember? Dad and uncle Tarble both said it’s not real.”

“It feels real though.” Trunks frowned, he missed the happy Goten that wanted to play and wasn’t upset. As they shifted to lean against the purring panzaon Trunks spotted something on Goten’s chest.

“Hey what’s that mark on your chest?” He didn’t expect the smaller boy to bolt upright and run to the mirror across the room.

“It’s really there!” He said as he pulled aside his shirt to look at it and touch it again. His tail quickly found its way to his hands. Trunks pulled away the fabric of his shirt and looked at it with bright inquisitive eyes.

“That is so cool, Goten! How’d you get it?”

“Get what?” Tarble asked from the doorway. Goten tensed up and pulled his shirt over the mark hoping Tarble didn’t see it. “Goten, what is on your chest?”

“Nothing!” He backed away from Tarble and Raditz as his other uncle came in.

“He’s got this cool mark, like a tattoo.” Trunks said excitedly. “I want one too.”

“Mark?” Tarble frowned as he looked at Raditz who was just as confused. “What mark?”

“Squirt, you need to let us see it.” Raditz said squatting in front of his nephew. Goten shook his head and pulled his shirt closed tighter.

“No, you’ll get mad!”

“Mahana, we just want to be sure you’re ok.” Tarble said kneeling in front of the cub. “We wont get mad.” Goten relaxed a bit at the familiar nickname, my sunshine, from his uncles. Slowly he let his shirt fall open as his tail once again found its way into his hands. He wasn’t expecting his uncles’ eyes to widen in shock and flinched away covering the silver flower again.

“Goten where did you get that mark?” Tarble asked moving forward to gently grab the cub by his shoulders.

“I’m sorry, please don’t get mad! I didn’t mean to.” Goten whined with tears in his eyes. “You said you wouldn’t get mad!

“Why would I get mad mahana?” Tarble asked shushing the cub.

“I-I left the room last night.” He sniffed as his hands rung his shirt. “I couldn't sleep and yo-you said we could ask Lady Tarro for help so I went to talk to her. I wanted to ask her to help Tama and Daddy.”

“I wish you had asked us to take you, but I’m not mad at you mahana.” Tarble said ruffling the cub’s hair. “What else happened?”

“I met a lady there.” Goten admit shifting his feet nervously. “She was nice and reminded me of tama. I felt better after we talked and she told me L-Lady Tarro heard my prayer and would help them. T-then she….”

“Then what?”

“She touched me here.” The cub said pointing at the flower. “I-it was all warm. She, she said if I kept my hope an-and faith here, Lady Tarro would always be with me. I didn’t know about the mark until I left, honest! When I went back and tried to ask her she was gone! I’m sorry!” Tarble said nothing for a moment before looking at Raditz.

“Raditz, call Vegeta and go get my father right now.” The hairball snapped out of whatever trance he’d been in.

“Are, are you sure that’s-” Tarble growled slapping the back of the alpha’s head.

“Go get them!”

“I’m sorry, please don’t be mad. You said you wouldn’t be mad.” Goten cried softly as Raditz fled from the beta’s wrath. Tarble immediately pulled Goten into his arms.

“No, mahana I’m not mad I promise.” He sat on the bed and looked the cub in the eyes. “No one is mad at you sweetheart. That mark is something very, very special. I promise, your Daddy and Grandpas will be very happy about this.”

“Tama and Gohan too?”

“Them too.” Tarble grinned.

“What does it mean, Uncle Tarble?” Trunks asked as he came up beside the younger half saiyan. His blue eyes kept darting to the marks on Goten's neck and back to the prince. “What are they anyway?”

“You'll need to wait for Vegeta before I can tell you!” The beta spoke with a bit of a mischievous look in his eyes. What the black haired cub had told him meant more than he knew, and the full blooded saiyan was almost shaking in excitement.

The boys continued to pester Tarble for answers as Raditz returned with K. Vegeta who held Vegito in his arms, and the com link beeped. Tarble moved the screen as he accepted the transmission so the three saiyans on the other side of the call could see everything.

“What is it, Tarble? Is everything alright?” K. Vegeta sounded concern as he looked over the boys. He bounced the baby in his arms as he watched with a lifted brow as Goten ducked behind his youngest son's leg with his hands keeping his shirt closed.

“Mahana, it's alright. None of them are going to be mad.” Tarble coaxed the nervous half saiyan out and pulled the cub’s hands away from his shirt. Once the mark was revealed, everyone was staring at Goten in disbelief.

“What?!” Bardock's voice came over the speakers once he got over his shock, and Vegeta and Gohan yelped as the older man shoved the two out of his way. His face filled the entire screen as he tried to get a better view. “Is that what I think it is?!”

“Yes! We have a Saibai-sha, and it's our Goten!” Tarble beamed at the rest of the room while Goten held his tail in his hands. “He also said the Lady Tarro is going to help you find Kakarot!”

Bardock grinned from ear to ear making him look very similar to his youngest son before he was pushed out of the way by Vegeta. The dominant looked at his still nervous son, and gave him a warm smile.

“Goten, this is a very good thing.” 

“It is?” The youngest half saiyan looked at his father from under his bangs. “What does it mean, and why is everyone so happy?”

“It means, tesoro, that you are Lady Tarro's chosen one. You represent her to the rest of us, and she watches over you. Essentially, you are her voice on Vegetasei.”

The boy's eyes were wide as he looked at Vegeta. His eyes darted back over to Tarble, who was still smiling.

“You mean…that lady I saw last night was Lady Tarro?” Goten giggled a bit as he smiled a full smile for the first time in a long time. “That means- That means she’s gonna bring tama home! Tama’s coming home!” He shouted in excitement and landed in Tarble’s lap purring in joy as he hugged his uncle.

By now, hardly anyone could speak. There hadn't been a representative of the Gods for almost 300 years.

“I had a feeling Goten would be a beta, but this confirms it. Ugh…I'll be beating alphas away from him once he comes of age.” The older prince groaned as he slumped in his seat after studying the mark for a moment. Goten perked up again.

“I’m a beta! Like you and Tama!” He shouted happily looking up at Tarble who grinned and ruffled his hair. It soothed everyone’s souls to see their mahana happy again.

“That’s right squirt.” Raditz said picking the cub up and cuddling him with a purr. “You’re just like your tama, looks and all. We’re going to have our work cut out for us keeping the alphas away until you pick one kiddo.”

“But I already picked one.” Goten said with a pout as Raditz set him back on his feet. “I like Trunks, I don’t want anyone else.”

“Yeah! Goten is gonna be my mate when we grow up!” Trunks said shocking the adults as he hugged the little beta. Goten blushed faintly as he smiled and cuddled into Trunks with a purr. Gohan broke the stunned silence as he began laughing.

“What the hell is so funny?” Vegeta snapped.

“You didn’t see this coming Vegeta?” He said shocking everyone. “Seriously, they’ve always been attached to each other.”

The older alpha sputtered a bit as he looked back at the two boys that had yet to let go of one another. He searched his memory looking at all the times Goten and Trunks were together, and his head fell forward with another groan.

"What is with our families being drawn together? At least that's the last of us to pair off.”


	39. Chapter 39

Bright light and green grass greeted Goku when he opened his eyes. He blinked a few times as he sat up on a patch of really soft moss. Fabric brushed against his chest and he looked down to see his dark blue pants and grey top from home, and his wrists were free of those hated cuffs. The light sparkled off a body of water just a few feet from where he was laying. He took in his surroundings and the beta's breath hitched.

It was the lake…the lake on Earth where Vegeta marked him. That day seemed like it happened a lifetime ago, but he was so happy it happened despite the bumpy road he's been on.

What was he doing here?

“Karo?” 

The submissive stiffened before his head snapped to the side, and he couldn't believe his eyes. There stood Vegeta in his crimson sleep pants with a confused look on his face.

“G-Geta?” Goku's hand flew to his throat when words actually came out, but he quickly forgot about his supposed muteness as he flung himself at his mate.

The alpha was knocked over and the pair tumbled to the grass. In the end, the prince was splayed flat on his back with his mate sobbing in the crook of his neck. Immediately, his arms came around to hold Goku as Vegeta tried to help calm him down.

“I'm here, Karo. Shh.” One hand buried itself in wild black spikes while the other caressed the beta's back. A chestnut tail twined around Goku's waist as the dominant held on tighter with every hitch of breath he could hear.

“Geta…please t-tell me you're real. Please, don't l-let this be j-just a dream.” Goku tried to pull himself even closer to his strong and protective alpha.

“Karo, as much as we wish it, we both know this is just a dream.” Vegeta said sadly as he nuzzled his mate.

“But I want it to be real.” Goku finally calmed some and curled against his mate and breathed deep the smell of cloves. “It hurts so much, Geta, I need you.” Vegeta’s hand massaged the beta’s scalp, and they shifted to both lay curled together in the soft moss. His black tail latched onto his mate’s waist surprising the beta for a second before he whined miserably in his throat. Geta was right, it was all just a dream.

“I know, Karo.” The prince tucked his mate’s head under his chin and simply held him. “God I miss you, its like I have a hole in my chest.”

“I want to go home, Geta.” Goku whimpered. “I want to be with you and the cubs! I want to hold my baby. Geta….I’m so tired of hurting and the way she treats me.”

“Just hold on a little longer, Karo.” Vegeta soothed lifting Goku’s face to meet his. “I’m coming for you. So are your father and Gohan. We’re almost there, love. You just need to hold on. I am going to bring you home and kill anyone who gets in my way. Please don’t give up, Karo.” He kissed Goku and the beta felt himself melt.

Just feeling the emotions in that simple press of lips had the submissive's eyes watering. He pressed as close to the older man as he could, and Goku sighed when Vegeta pulled back. The beta licked his lips to savor the taste of his mate.

“How did you do it?” He looked at the alpha as he rested his head on a muscular chest. “How did you survive under Frieza's control?”

The prince let his head fall back on the moss as he thought about it. His hand threaded through black hair and his nails lightly scratched at Goku's scalp drawing a deep purr from his mate as he nuzzled into his touch. 

“For one thing, I wasn't alone. I had Nappa and Raditz with me, and all of us looked out for the other.” His brow furrowed as he thought back over those dark years. “Besides that…I did something I never want you to do.”

“What?”

“Lock your heart away. I had been with Frieza ever since I was a cub, and I learned very early that soft feelings would cause you problems. I built walls around my heart and surrounded myself with a wall of anger and pride. I don't want you to become what I was. I guess the only thing I can tell you is not to resist her.”

Goku deflated at the words. He had been hoping that Vegeta could give him some insight on how to better survive while staying with Shiveria.

“I’m not telling you to give up, Karo.” Vegeta said as he rolled and hovered over his mate on his hands and knees. “Never give up. These ice demons…it’s a sick game with them, torturing people and finding ways to break them. Karo, you have to play her game. Do what she wants, let her think she’s won, and be patient; and when she finally makes a mistake, make her pay for it. And if you can’t, wait for me.” He said pressing their foreheads together. “I’m going to make her pay in blood for everything she’s done to you. Every tear, every bruise, every time she hurt you or made you feel weak, I will make her bleed for it, Karo.”

Goku whined in the back of his throat as he started into Vegeta's eyes believing every word the dominant said to him. The submissive adopted a trusting look before he nuzzled his face beside the older saiyan's.

Vegeta felt his blood heat at the innocent action, and he let out a purr that Goku felt in his bones. He gave his mate a gentle kiss that slowly became more passionate when the alpha slipped his tongue into the taller man’s mouth.

He growled when the beta instantly submitted to his lead, and Vegeta moved one of his hands to play with the hem of the gray shirt that covered his lover from his hungry eyes. The alpha did not expect his Karo to flinch when his fingers touched smooth skin. Goku pulled back from the kiss with a nervous look in his eyes.

“Please.” Goku said softly as his eyes wouldn’t meet Vegeta’s. “Don’t, Geta.”

“Karo….” Vegeta frowned and nuzzled his mate with a purr. “Nothing will ever make me see you any differently. You’re my mate, my other half, I will always want you.” He said trying to soothe the beta’s fears as his tail brushed against the black furred limb. Goku whined and snapped his tail away from the touch to Vegeta’s shock.

“I’m sorry.” Goku said with tears in his eyes. “I don’t know why I’m scared. I just….I keep remembering…them…Geta, they keep touching me.”

“Don’t be.” The prince said as he wiped the tears away and kissed the beta’s forehead again. “You never have to be afraid of me. Let me help you forget them love. I will never hurt you, Karo. I love you, so much.” Vegeta purred and nuzzled into his mates hair before looking the beta in the eyes. “Let me love you, please, Karo.”

“Geta.” Goku gently reached up and grasped Vegeta’s cheek and pulled him down to kiss his alpha. “I want to forget, please make me forget, Geta.” Vegeta purred and kissing his mate back fiercely drawing a soft whimper from Goku.

“I’ll show you how our mating should have been, Karo. I don’t want you to ever be afraid of me. Do you trust me?”

“I trust you.”

Seeing Goku was reassured, the prince pulled the top off with one swift movement. As soon as tanned skin was bared, Vegeta began to trail kisses and nips along the beta's jaw and neck. He ignored the small flinches from his mate that slowly stopped as he worked his way across. When he came to the mark he left on Goku's shoulder, he gave it extra attention to make the skin reddened.

The dominant saiyan couldn't help but want to make the mark more visible. They had been apart for so long, and Vegeta's instincts demanded that he show everyone that this man belonged to him. It didn't matter if the evidence of their encounter wouldn't carry over to the real world, he just wanted to show that Goku belonged to him.

The beta moaned as he arched into the feeling. That mark had become an extremely sensitive spot that made his blood rush southwards. A black tail wound around one of Vegeta's thighs, and Goku tilted his head to the side to give the dominant more room to work with.

The shorter man rewarded the action with a slow lick up to the submissive's ear where sharp teeth began to nibble at the shell, and one hand came up to slowly rake his nails softly down the center of Goku's chest. He relished at the feeling of that toned body arching under his fingertips.

The taller saiyan lifted his hands to bury them in the flame like hair the prince had, and he gasped when the mouth on his ear moved down to worry a mark just behind his jaw. Goku wound his arms around his alpha’s neck so his fingers could dig in slightly on his shoulders as Vegeta continued to attack the marks he’d given his mate. Reaching his mark, the prince grazed his teeth over it drawing a pleasured moan from the beta as he removed his mate’s hands from his neck with a smirk.

The feeling made the beta shiver, and he melted onto the moss with a half lidded look that made the alpha swell in his pants. His arms were pinned above his head, and Vegeta gave him a look as he took his hands away.

“Don't move them until I say so.” Vegeta's voice had become rough, but his touch remained gentle as he ravished the beta's lips. His agile tongue licked and tasted over each tooth, gum line, and the shy tongue inside Goku's mouth.

He sat up to look down at his flushed lover. Not wanting to waste time later on with any annoying clothing, the prince stripped both of them of their pants. Goku squirmed as his mate looked over his body with heated eyes.

“Karrrro…” His name was purred out, and Goku whimpered when Vegeta started to lick the valleys and plains of his torso. The alpha's hands rested so his thumbs rubbed at the pebbled nipples, causing a breathy moan to escape the man under him.

He trailed his kisses up to the younger saiyan's collarbone raking his sharp teeth over the thin skin. The whine he got melted into a sigh as he soothed the sting with loving licks. He growled at the taste and nuzzled his face along that column of flesh.

The older man slowly ran his hands down until they rested on Goku's waist, and he kneaded the quivering muscles as his teeth chewed gently on a nipple. A mewl came from above Vegeta's head, and he smirked against honey colored skin.

“Does that feel good?” The alpha purred as he pulled back. His finger dug in a bit deeper, and slowly massaged the submissive's back. “I haven't had the opportunity to explore your body, Karo. I wonder what spots will make you sing…”

Vegeta moved his hips so they were between Goku's thighs. A chestnut tail lightly moved over the six pack making the large body on the moss shiver as his hands clinched to keep from bringing them down.

The prince looked over his mate taking in the flush body, glazed eyes, and parted petal soft lips. His eyes softened, and Vegeta leaned down to give a sweet kiss. One hand slid down to cup under one thigh while the other came around to press at the base of a black tail.

His fingers massaged in small circles that had the beta pulling away from the kiss as he threw his head back. Vegeta immediately took advantage of the move to suck a ring of marks on the base of the younger man's throat.

“Geta…” Goku looked up at the older man with a plea in his hazy eyes. His hands and arms were shaking with the effort to keep them pinned above his head. 

Taking pity on his mate, Vegeta gave his permission to move his hands.

The submissive brought his hands down to hug the alpha around his neck to ground himself as the dominant continued that pleasurable massage at the base of his tail. Little whimpers came out without Goku's knowledge, and the sounds were driving Vegeta crazy.

The alpha reached down to mark his mate’s belly and hips. He felt the hands on his shoulder migrate up to dig into his hair. 

He lifted the leg his hand held so it rested over his shoulder. Once his hand was free, Vegeta crept his fingers down to dip into the submissive's crease. He found the puckered rosebud and felt slick quickly coat his fingers. The older man pulled his hand from the base of his mate's tail and waited for black eyes to open back up.

Vegeta licked his lips as soon as he saw Goku gaze down at him, and he rested his free hand on a hip to keep the beta in place. The younger male opened his mouth to ask why the prince stopped when he let out a strangled scream as Vegeta simultaneously swallowed his erection and pushed a finger in his hole.

The taste of his mate was addicting, and the prince pulled back to spear the tip of his tongue into the slit to chase the flavor. Vegeta sucked hard to pull out more fluid, and a pleasure filled sob came from above his head.

“G-Geta!” His name was moaned out so prettily that the dominant purred around the shaft in his mouth. This caused Goku's hips to buck against Vegeta’s hold a bit as he let out a cry. The hands in the older saiyan's hair fisted black locks, and they pulled slightly as he arched his body to get closer.

White filled his vision as Vegeta pressed against his sweet spot. The alpha thrust his finger a few times before adding another to help stretch out the tight passage. He scissored his fingers and rubbed the silken walls eager to feel that heat on another part of his body.

The submissive's breathing kept hitching, and the muscles in the taller man started to tighten. Tears spilled out of onyx eyes as he thrashed his head back and forth. Not wanting this to end so quickly, the dominant let the cock in his mouth slide out.

“No…” Goku whined as his lover pulled away from him, and his leg fell back into the bed of moss. He reached out for his alpha wanting to feel that amazing feeling again. “Don't….don't stop…”

Vegeta let out a dark chuckle that had the beta shivering. He loomed over the other man with a smirk on his face. He stared down at his mate with a predatory glint in his eyes as he leaned down to capture Goku's mouth.

He used the kiss as a distraction so he could spread the submissive's legs and rest in the cradle they formed. When his hard length brushed against the underside of the younger’s cock, the pair let out muffled moans.

The prince broke the kiss when his lungs burned for air, and he rested his forehead on Goku's. His eyes took in the flushed cheeks and lust filled gaze. The older man gave a chaste kiss to his mate, and the beta perked up a bit.

They shared a long loving look before Goku nodded at the silent question in his lover's eyes. 

The alpha positioned himself at the twitching entrance, and engaged his mate in a sweet kiss while slowly sinking into the pliant body underneath him. Vegeta had to break the kiss to grit his teeth to keep from slamming into the submissive. 

Once he was fully seated, he remained still to allow the panting man under him to adjust to the feeling. The older man let out a heavy groan as the channel he was in rippled around him, and his hips gave an aborted thrust.

“Ah!” Goku cried out, and he shuddered at the delicious sensation. Wanting more, the submissive wrapped his legs around the prince’s hips and pulled the alpha closer. He pulled his lover down to whisper in his ear. “Move.”

Not needing anymore prompting, Vegeta began to rock his hips to ease into a rhythm. The prince’s chestnut tail wrapped around Goku's right thigh, and it gave him an affectionate squeeze. He growled at the friction and heat surrounding his member baring his elongated teeth in restraint. The older male wanted to take his time with his lover, something he should have done the first time they were together.

The beta's hands flew to the older saiyan's shoulders, and he dug his fingernails into the pale skin. His head fell back. His now puffy black tail twined around Vegeta's left bicep. His eyes looked up at the leaves in the tree above him.

Once again, the opportunistic alpha immediately latched onto a piece of skin to make another mark. He couldn't make enough marks on Goku to satisfy his instincts, but he didn't mind too much. His lover was whimpering and mewling for more, so he speed his thrusts up.

The two saiyans were rocking with the movements of the prince’s hips. One of the submissive's hands buried itself into the moss, and dug his fingers as deep as he could to ground himself. His chest heaved with the effort to get enough air in his lungs.

Vegeta began to thrust in at different angles, and a loud shout of his name made him give a sharp grin as he hit that spot again. His control was eroding away at an alarming rate as he heard his lover cry for more.

“H-harder! Geta! I want it harder!”

The alpha growled deeply and started to slam his hips harder. His whole cock was dragging over Goku's sweet spot, and that pulled out sounds that made him throb in the tight tunnel. By now, Vegeta had moved so he was bending the younger saiyan almost in half, and both of their bodies were trembling with the force of his thrusts.

“Karrrro,” his name was spoken with a growling purr. “Remember that I will never leave you. I will always love you no matter what. You are mine, and nothing will ever change that!” Vegeta snapped his teeth by the submissive's ear.

He battered Goku's prostate like he was trying to pound himself into the other's skin. He never wanted his mate to forget how this felt and who was making him feel this way. His hands moved to clamp down on the beta's hips to keep him from moving.

“Who do you belong to?!” The dominant prince snarled. His eyes flashed a possessive light as he watched the younger man thrash under him. “Say it! Who is doing this to you?! Who is your mate!?”

“Ah…! Ahhh! You! I-it's you, Geta!” Tears of pleasure streamed down his face as Goku shouted. The ecstasy he felt was something he never experienced before, and he couldn't get enough of it. “Please! Please! Please! More! Geta! I-I…I want…!”

Vegeta knew what he was begging for, and started to stroke the neglected shaft bobbing between them. The cry this got him made something in him preen at being able to draw that out of his former rival.

The dual pleasure was soon too much, and Goku lost the fight on holding back. His back arched as his vision flashed white. The submissive painted both of their lower abdomens in white as he cried out as loud as he could.

“VEGETA!!” 

The alpha felt those silken walls clamp down on him, and that wonderful tightness milked his cock for everything he had. All it took was a couple more thrusts and Vegeta pressed as close as he could as he filled the body of his lover with his hot seed.

“Karo!” The bliss he felt at that moment was like nothing he had ever felt before, and the prince wished this moment could last forever.

Once the euphoria was gone, the two saiyans landed in a tangle of limbs. The lovers were twitching with the shocks of their releases, and Vegeta had to force himself to pull out of his mate so they could relax on the moss bed.

Goku whined at the emptiness he felt. He wanted to remain connected for longer, no matter how uncomfortable the position might have been. A sweet kiss pressed to his swollen lips mollified him for the time being.

“I love you, Geta.” The beta whispered as he moved to tuck his head under the older man's chin. He let out a deep purr of satisfaction as strong arms came around him as well.

“I love you too, Karo.”

Goku purred as he breathed in Vegeta’s scent like a drug and nuzzled into his alpha’s chest. His tail hesitantly brushed against Vegeta’s and he sighed contently when the chestnut limb twined gently with it.

The beta felt his eyes grow heavy as he let out a yawn, and he fought the drowsiness that came after a rigorous activity. He knew that if he fell asleep, Goku wouldn't be with his mate anymore.

“I don’t want to wake up.” He said softly just soaking in Vegeta’s presence. He tightened his hold onto the alpha, and tears began to prick at his eyes. “I want to stay here with you.”

“I know.” Vegeta soothed as his purr vibrated through his body to calm him. “Just remember this moment when you do, Karo. I’m coming for you, and nothing is going to stop me from saving you.” 

The prince tilted the submissive's head up to give him a sweet kiss to seal his promise. He gathered his traumatized beta closer to him. Vegeta did his best to shelter Goku from the harsh reality he was sure to wake up to.

The younger saiyan soaked up the comfort like a sponge, and he let out a happy sigh when strong fingers massaged his scalp. He took in a deep breath to savor the dominant's clove scent and let out a purr as he did so.

They laid together contently, trading sweet kisses and touches until exhaustion from their coupling finally overwhelmed them.

++++++VK+++++

Onyx eyes opened to stare at the ceiling over his bunk. Vegeta’s skin tingling from the after math of his dream. He could still smell Karo’s scent faintly lingering. The ache in his chest had dimmed and the alpha found himself surprisingly calm, much to his surprise as he got up and dressed.

He rubbed the area over his heart confused as to why he felt more at ease than yesterday. The prince let out a sigh as he pushed those thought out of his mind. He made his way to the control room of the ship to check in with Bardock to see how close they were to Shiveria's location.

Bardock watched his son in law with a sharp eye as he came onto the bridge with a calm aura. For the last several days, Vegeta's temper had been very short. The only time he was remotely calm was when he was talking to the cubs back on Vegetasei. Neither he or Gohan said much about it, himself knowing how it felt being separated from his own mate so early into the bond. He understood the pain Vegeta was going through somewhat, but he and Gine never had this kind of situation and knew Vegeta had it worse than he ever did.

“Are you feeling ok?” Bardock asked hesitantly as Vegeta sat at one of the consoles in a daze.

“I- I can’t explain it.” Vegeta said running a hand through his hair distractedly. “I had a dream about Kakarot last night. It’s like he was really there with me, back at our lake. It didn’t feel like a dream. When I woke up I didn’t feel like there was a hole in my chest.”

“Whatever it was you don’t look ready to snap our heads off any time soon.” Bardock said. “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you got-” His eyes widened as he looked over at Vegeta who glared back daring his father in law to finish that sentence.

“What kind of dream did you have?” Bardock asked in shock.

“The kind I will never discuss with anyone other than Karo.” The younger man growled.

“I don't want to know details!” The older man snapped back feeling slightly ill at the thought of his young son having sex with the saiyan in front of him. “Was there anything unusual when you woke up?”

“I think I caught his scent when I woke up.” Vegeta muttered as he still glared at the other alpha, but it wasn't as harsh. “But I know that was just wishful thinking…what?”

Bardock just smirked at the prince with a chuckle. He couldn't believe Vegeta was so ignorant about the bonding process between mates, but he couldn't blame the man. Raditz and Nappa were great warriors, but lousy teachers.

“It wasn't just a dream. We must be close enough for you to establish a faint connection with Kakarot.” He grinned at the shocked look he got. “This was something I was going to tell you once you got here. By my estimation…we are about a day and a half away.”

Vegeta couldn't contain his grin or stop his tail from wagging. He looked at the control panel, and he quickly came to the same conclusion.

“Hang on, Karo. I'm almost there.”


	40. Chapter 40

Goku shifted on the pillow he was curled up on as he dozed, and the movement caused a couple of links in his chain to clink. Shiveria looked down at him through the corner of her eye, but went back to the report she held once she saw he was still in the same spot. It was the first time he was allowed out of Shiveria's room in what he felt like was ages, and he was honestly glad for a change of scenery. 

Thanks to whatever treatment Oaklio had devised, the beta was relatively in good health, and as long as the frost demon gave him more food, he would be fully recovered in a couple of months. Besides the near constant fatigue he felt better than he had since his capture.

He really wanted to sleep, but there was too much noise on the ship’s bridge. He sighed trying to block out the sounds around him so he could hopefully drift off. Ever since the beta had that dream with Vegeta, he had been sleeping more to not only recover his strength, but to try and see his mate again. 

It had been painful when he woke up alone, but at the same time, the submissive had felt a little better, it was like a weight he didn’t realize was there was lifted off him. He didn't feel quite as worn from being treated like he was less than a person or like he wanted to give in and quit. Listening to Vegeta’s advice, Goku found it a bit easier to not resist when Shiveria wanted him to do something. Vegeta was right, letting her think she had won made it better in a way. 

He still hated her, hated the things she made him do, but she left him alone more often. She wasn’t constantly touching and petting him or making him perform “tricks” for her amusement. Shiveria even gave him a blanket and for once he felt warm and comfortable at night, especially with his increased meals actually coming close to sating his hunger completely. Through it all he held onto Vegeta’s promise.

Goku found his eyes drifting to gaze out the massive window as sleep continued to evade him. He knew he wouldn’t see Geta, but he couldn’t help looking for his alpha. Gazing blankly at the stars his mind wandered back to waking up.

Flashback 

Dark eyes opened blearily and stared blankly at the needle in his wrist almost confused as they followed the tubing up to a bag of some clear fluid. His eyes felt so heavy he wondered why he woke up to begin with. His eyes clenched shut as he held in a whine at the ache in his chest. He wanted to stay asleep and see Geta, to be anywhere other than here.

He could still feel the tingle of Vegeta’s touch on his skin and where he was marked in his dream. The faint scent of cloves filled his nose and he did his best to hold onto the memory of that smell afraid he’d never have it again. A shiver ran down his frame as his mate’s possessive gaze flashed in his mind. Vegeta had made him feel so safe and loved, it hurt to realize it was only a dream.

At least the doctor hadn’t lied to him. He did feel better even if it felt he should still be asleep. His heart didn’t feel like it was going to beat out of his chest and he could feel each slow and relaxed breath as he let his eyes slide closed again. He was sure how long he lay there before the sounds of low pitched conversation came to his attention.

“-it’s Vegeta?”

His eyes snapped open at his mate’s name and tried to focus as he listened and looked for the speakers.

“Yes, sensors indicated a saiyan ship entered the system yesterday. There’s only one saiyan with a reason come out here. Vegeta’s looking for his mate.”

Geta was here? His heart swelled. Geta was really coming to get him.

‘I’m coming for you…we’re almost there love.’ Geta was really here? It wasn’t just a dream. He would have cried for joy if he wasn’t exhausted. The beta wanted to purr imagining Vegeta taking him home. His cheeks flamed with his second realization. If that wasn’t just a dream….His eyes softened. His Geta really did love him. He only hoped Vegeta was telling the truth about always wanting him. 

Goku had never been very vain but he knew he looked bad right now. The muscles he had his entire life were quickly disappearing. He was paler and sick looking from the lack of food and sunlight. He knew his back was a ropey mess of whiplashes, and his tail healed badly. Several kinks formed in the once smooth limb and healed swollen and bulky. Goku knew he’d never get his tail ring off by himself now.

The saiyan's eyes landed on Shiveria and Chirb by the frost demon’s desk. The small woman had an angry look on her face as her tail tip lashed behind her.

“We picked up the ship just before our sensors malfunctioned. We were not able to get an exact interception time, but we do know the monkey prince will be here in less than a week.” The white haired reptilian watched his mistress with a wary expression.

“Has the engine been repaired yet?” 

“No, mistress. We are working as fast as we can, but it'll take another week for it to be functional at all.”

“That's not good enough, Chirb! I'm sick of all these problems on this ship!” The blue haired female snapped her tail in the air out of frustration. “Tell the men that if they don't have the engine fixed in the next three days, I'll make them into shoes.”

Cold purple eyes watched as the large male almost tripped over his own feet as he scrambled to follow her orders. Once the door closed, Shiveria shook her head and ran a hand through her loose bangs as he turned towards the cushion Goku was resting on.

“Oh? You heard that did you? I didn't think you would be awake so soon, pet.” The petite female asked when she saw half open onyx eyes. That light growing in the saiyan’s eyes had to go. “He won't find you, pet, nor will I allow him to take you from me. You’re mine now.”

Shiveria kneeled beside Goku, and petted his head gently. Her teal tail felt over the scars on his back, and she smiled at his flinching as her eyes looked down at the mangled black tail. She put a look of mock concern on her face as her eyes slowly trailed up the saiyan's body.

“Even if by some miracle he manages to get past me…I'm not even sure that monkey will want anything to do with you after he sees you. You aren’t so pretty to look at anymore pet. Trust me, men like Vegeta only want beautiful partners, and I’m afraid you just don’t qualify anymore.” Her words cut like knives.

‘You have to play her game; let her think she’s won.’ Vegeta whispered to him. Goku knew what he had to do. He whined softly as he curled in on himself. She giggled and pet his head before returning to her chair. He lay curled up with tears in his eyes unable to stop the sting of her words.

‘Geta….I need you.’

‘I will always love you no matter what. You are mine, and nothing will ever change that…’ He blinked hearing the voice of his mate again. The voice was a balm on his aching heart.

‘Please find me soon, Geta. I’m waiting for you.’ Goku thought back to himself as he drifted back off to sleep.

Flashback End

“You aren’t still pinning after your mate, are you?” Shiveria asked him snapping him out of his thoughts. He flinched but didn’t move as her hand carded through his hair. Shiveria seemed to enjoy when he flinched from her touch since she always looked amused when he did it. He sighed softly as he looked away from the window and stared at nothing in particular in the bridge. He had to let her think she won.

“That’s a good boy. You know who you belong to, don’t you.” It was said as a statement rather than a question, and the beta nodded his head.

‘Who do you belong to?’ Vegeta whispered in his ear.

‘You, Geta, I belong to you.’ He thought to himself as he remembered Vegeta’s promise.

‘I’m coming for you, and nothing is going to stop me from saving you.’

Goku let a faint smile grow on his face as he tucked into the cushion to conceal it. He could do this. All he had to do was be patient like Vegeta told him to be.

+++++VK+++++

Vegeta paced on the bridge by a window with a snarl on his face. They were so close to Shiveria's ship that he could just make it out from the background of stars. He would pause every third rotation to stare at the ship before resuming his walking.

“Why didn't I have Karo teach me IT?” He muttered out loud. “I could've transported over there and back with him by now!”

Gohan and Bardock were at the control panel blocking out whatever the prince said. He had been like this ever since that dream he had, and nothing the other two alphas did could make Vegeta relax. 

Bardock couldn't help but roll his eyes as he picked up on the third IT rant of the hour. Still he had to agree with Vegeta that Kakarot was going to teach them all that technique when this was over. The older dominant typed on a keyboard as he looked over a screen that displayed the frost demon’s ship. His eyes narrowed as numbers and letters flew over the screen before it gave off a green glow.

“Yes!” His exclamation started his grandson, and it caused Vegeta to bare his teeth in aggravation. “I'm in! It took me awhile to slip past the security on the ship, but I've managed to hack the main computer on Shiveria's ship!” 

Gohan and Vegeta moved to look over either side of Bardock's shoulders as he pulled up a blueprint of the ship’s interior. There were several parts of the ship flashing red, and the teen pointed to one of the sections.

“What does that mean?” 

“It means there is a mechanical problem. It looks like the ship is having some serious issues.” The oldest man pointed to the schematic. “Look here. One of their engines is down, and over here shows that they have no sensors. Maybe that's why Shiveria hasn't left yet.”

“Or blasted us into oblivion.” Vegeta said with a wince. Bardock and Gohan winced as well. That was the only serious obstacle, they couldn’t survive the vacuum of space and a number of their opponents could. It didn’t matter if they could destroy all the aliens on that ship if they were spotted too soon and blown up.

“Looks like all we need to do is find an airlock, and we should be able to force our way in. What about this section, grandfather?” Gohan pointed to a spot towards the bottom of the ship.

“That's the cargo hold.” Vegeta muttered drawing the other’s attention. “It looks like her ship is the same model Frieza liked to use. There shouldn't be much resistance if we come in there.” The prince rubbed at his chin as he considered the logistics.

“Kakarot will be with Shiveria most likely. We might find him on the bridge or Shiveria's bedroom.” Bardock brought up with a frown. “We'll need to be fast if we want to get to him. If it’s that similar to Frieza’s ship could you get us to the bridge?”

“I can get us to the bridge, I never had a reason to go anywhere near Frieza’s bedroom thank Kalious. There’s no guarantee it would even be in the same place anyways.” He growled as he tried to feel for Kakarot again. “I can't sense his ki. He must have ki cuffs on. The only way we'll find him for sure is by scent. He'll be the only saiyan on that ship.” Vegeta huffed as he crossed his arms.

“Let's worry about that when we get onboard. For now, we need to sneak up on that ship, and keep them from activating their sensors.” 

“Here.” Vegeta pointed out. “That’s the closest entrance to the engineering level from the cargo hold. Cause enough damage in there and the sensors will be the least of their worries. You could probably disable the alarms to buy more time.”

“You sure do know a lot about this.”

“I didn’t have time for a social life, Gohan.” Vegeta snapped. “I had over 20 years to learn how to take down that bastard. Then Karo went and destroyed him instead.”

“We’ll have to mask our approach, our cloaking isn’t good enough to get us up close and personal with all those windows. Could we come up under them?”

“I’ve never tried it.” Vegeta admit. “I’ve never seen anyone try it, but it should work. It will take half a day to do though if I’m right about the speed we can move at.”

“I know but it would be worth the extra time for the element of surprise.” Bardock said typing something into the computer. “I’m setting the ship to run silent and on auto pilot for the approach. Take as much rest as you can and get ready. It’s gonna be a long night.” Vegeta simply gazed out the window at the ship.

“Just a little longer Karo.” He whispered placing a hand on the glass. “We’re coming to get you.”

+++++VK+++++

“Why do I always have to be the one to tell her bad news?” Chirb grumbled to himself as he made his way to Shiveria's personal dining room. His orange eyes glanced down at the report in his hand that showed the estimated time it will take for the engine to get at least minimum propulsion. He only hoped she wouldn’t turn him into a belt or handbag like she threatened with the last update he gave her.

He stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath to steel himself as he knocked on the door. He waited for a moment, but he didn't get an answer. Cringing about what he was about to do, Chirb slowly opened the door.

“Mistress?” 

The lights in the room had been dimmed to the point of almost being off, and the tale reptile noticed that the ice blue haired woman was nowhere to be seen. The full wine glass on the table showed that she was here and was likely to return shortly. 

Chirb thought about waiting outside for the frost demon when something in the shadows by Shiveria's chair shifted. The slits in the white haired male’s eyes expanded, and the reptilian felt his face stretch into a sadistic grin.

The saiyan pet was sleeping curled on his side, on the cushion by the only chair in the room, and Chirb could not let this sweet opportunity go by. While he now had more marks on his skin and his tail was kinked and swollen, he still looked quite appetizing to the large man.

Quietly setting the digital device in his hands on the table, Chirb began to make his way to the saiyan that was shifting restlessly on his spot as he slept. Kneeling over the beta one of his hands found its way into the black mane and scratched lightly to relax him, he didn’t want a repeat of last time. It worked as the restless movement stilled. His other hand slowly drew in the loose lengths of chain and cinched it close to the hook on the floor so when the beta did wake he wouldn’t go anywhere.

His free hand moved and began to rub at the tense muscles in Goku’s neck as the other continued to scratch at his scalp. He grinned as the saiyan stretched towards the scratching in his sleep and moved his hand to rub down Goku’s back as he leaned in and started to kiss and smell the back of his neck. The beta shifted again this time away from the touch as Chirb’s hand gently rubbed at his ass.

Goku’s eyes opened and took in the dark room in confusion. He whined softly feeling a pair of lips sucking on the back of his neck and the soft rubbing on his ass while another scratched wonderfully on his scalp. Oh sweet Taro, was he finally having another dream with Geta? He shivered as a rough tongue ran over his neck to his jaw line and whined louder as the hand in his hair stopped its scratching.

“Shh…” They quieted him as both hands now massaged his lower back. Goku’s eyes slid closed as all the tension in his body began to melt away. The beta let out a soft keen as one particularly irritating knot was eased out of his back.

“You like that, don’t you?” Chirb cooed as he was careful to stay out of the beta’s sight just yet. He wanted to keep the saiyan as relaxed and compliant as possible. It would be more enjoyable for him in the long run if his partner didn't put up too much of a fight.

Goku shrugged off the haze in his mind. That hadn’t sounded like Vegeta, and the scent didn't belong to his mate at all. He felt himself tense as he realized he was awake and not in a dream.

“Just relax, I’ll make you feel good, Goku.”

Black eyes snapped open as the beta turned in shock to see Chirb behind him. Ice cold fear washed over him as he realized he was alone with the lizard not seeing Shiveria any where. Metal rasped as he jerked against his now very short chain trying to scramble away from his rapist and found he couldn’t move from his spot as the retile loomed over him.

“Surprise, pet.”


	41. Chapter 41

“No one here but us, pet. Shall we have some fun?” Orange eyes glinted lustfully down at the man underneath him. The terrified look made Chirb grin, and he licked his lips at the sight of the submissive spread out before him.

That pale form had shadows covering him like a sheet, and his skin contrasted with the darkness of the room and the black of the cushion and pants he wore. The white haired man could feel his uniform tightening below the waist.

Goku snapped out of his horrified trance, and he immediately started to fight to get the larger man off of him. Chirb intercepted his punch effortlessly, and the reptilian wrestled his arms to pin them on either side of the beta's head. He pulled hard against the grip on his wrists, but his arms wouldn't budge.

Kicking proved to be as useless as well when the reptilian moved both arms over Goku's head and held them there with one hand. His free arm forced black clad legs apart so Chirb could rest his hips between them.

The saiyan's paled as he twisted under the muscular form of his rapist, but Chirb had him completely pinned to the cushion. A soft whine came from his throat once he realized that he was trapped.

The white haired male smirked down at Goku, and he leaned down to graze his teeth over the beta's neck. The action made the smaller man cringe away, but he wasn't allowed to go to far. Chirb’s free hand came up to grip the saiyan's chin to keep his head still.

“If you fight me, it's only going to be worse.” The larger male growled out. “Stop struggling, and you might even enjoy it.”

Goku whined loudly with his eyes clenched shut and shook his head as much as he could against the larger's grip. 

"That's right…I'm supposed to get your consent, aren't I?" Chirb chuckled. "I'm pretty sure you'll say yes." He said forcing Goku to nod. The beta whimpered as the grip on his jaw tightened before he could shake his head no again. 

"That was a yes, wasn't it?" Chirb mocked making the beta nod again. "Excellent."

Goku's feet scrambled against the silky material of the cushion trying to get enough of a grip to push himself away from his rapist. He twisted and jerked under Chirb when the man fastened his lips on the junction of his neck and right shoulder. He could feel Chirb smirking as he fought to get away when the lizard began to scrap his teeth over the spot. Relief shot through the beta when his bare foot reached the cold floor of the dinning room and then pushed against it towards where his chain was anchored. 

Goku slid a few inches back away from his rapist and pulled him off balance with the firm grip on his wrists. With a growl the blue man rose onto his knees to pull himself after the half pinned beta when Goku saw his chance. 

Chirb screamed and released Goku's wrists as the beta kicked him squarely in the groin as hard as he could. The beta found his legs pinned under Chirb's weight as the man dropped in pain, but used his freedom to grope almost blindly for his chain so he could loosen it enough to get free. A snarl from his rapist made him freeze. 

"You little slut." He sat up enraged as one hand held his wounded pride. Dark eyes widened as Chirb straitened up balling his free hand into a fist. "I'll teach you to kick me, you stupid monkey!"

Goku threw his arms between his head and Chirb's blow. If that hit his head, it was over. Chirb would do whatever he wanted to him until either Shiveria returned or he finished. 

As the blow smashed into his wrists Goku felt it before he heard the cracking of metal. His rapist must have heard it too as he paused. The beta's eyes widened as he felt his ki for the first time since his kidnapping. 

The cuffs exploded as the dam holding back Goku's ki broke.

‘Now’s your chance! Shoot him!’ The familiar voice of his mate snarled in his ear. 

The sudden rush of energy left the saiyan feeling lightheaded, but he was able to think clearly enough to gather a large ball of ki and shot Chirb in the chest. The orb blasted the white haired reptilian through the wall.

Goku blinked at the fuzziness of his vision as he sat up. The chain hooked to the floor broke effortlessly as he shook his head. He could see that the amount of energy that he packed into that blast destroyed the room and part of the hallway past the door. He looked around unseeingly as he tried to adjust to the fluctuating ki surging in his body.

‘Karo! Get out of there! Try to escape!’ Vegeta's voice shocked some awareness back into the saiyan's head. ‘Come on, Karo! You need to move!’

The beta managed to stumble to his feet. He hurried over to the hole Chirb made as he flew out of the room, and he rushed past a pile of rubble that Goku was positive the scaly man was under. He gave one last snarl feeling satisfied that he managed to stop his rapist from doing anything that time.

Alarms were sounding out, but the submissive felt like he was hearing everything underwater. He ducked around a corner as five aliens ran past him towards the direction he came from. The floor looked like it was moving under Goku's feet, so he had to keep a hand on the wall to keep his balance as he ran.

‘Good. Keep going!’ Hearing the encouragement from Vegeta was the only thing keeping him moving. How the voice knew where he needed to go, Goku had no idea, but he followed it regardless. ‘Go left. That's it! Just get down to the cargo hold, and you can escape!’ 

The beta came to the lift only to have his path blocked by a fuchsia skinned female alien that looked like pig with sea foam green hair. She had an arm full of papers that she dropped when she saw Goku. They started at each other before the woman opened her mouth to alert the rest of the ship.

The saiyan shot a low powered blast that knocked the woman out, and he fell into the lift. The door shut with a snick, and Goku had to shut his eyes as he felt the tube drop. He panted as his ki heated under his skin uncomfortably. He felt like he was overflowing with energy that was pulling him apart at the seams.

When the lift stopped and opened, Goku stared blankly out the open doors as he lay in the floor. The desperate need to get further away from Chirb and Shiveria drove him as he pushed himself up on his hands and knees.

‘You have to keep going, Karo, you’re almost there.’ Goku whined feeling sick but he followed his mate’s voice. He was moving slower as the ground started spinning under his feet and slowed to a walk as he clutched at the wall to keep himself up as he started to stumble.

‘Don’t stop.’ Goku nodded and kept moving.

As he rounded a corner several guards stood before him with blasters. They screamed something before they fired on him. The beta raised his arms with a whine to keep his head safe before he glared and fired a wave of energy that made their weapons explode with panicked shouts. Goku whined as his skin burned hotter. It felt like his energy was trying to burn its way through his skin. 

‘Geta, it hurts.’ 

‘Let it out, Karo, you need to use it.’

With a silent scream Goku unleashed a shockwave that ripped through the walls of the ship and fried several electrical systems nearby. The guards in the hall with him were blown back and knocked unconscious or killed; he wasn’t sure which, as they slammed into the steel walls of the corridor.

The saiyan landed heavily on his hands and knees as he panted. Sweat was stinging his eyes, and Goku tried to wipe it away. He lifted his head and spotted a large door that looked reinforced with a thicker metal. 

‘That's it, Karo. There's the door. You can do it, just a little further.’ The beta gritted his teeth at the effort it took to get back on his feet. His hand dented a warped piece of metal that he used to get his balance. 

His ki still churned under his skin, but it felt a little calmer after that shockwave he let out. He still felt like he was going to be ill at any second. The saiyan's eyes caught light blue sparks of energy that ran over what he could see of his arms and chest. Some of the sparks actually caused him pain as the danced over his form.

Goku couldn't remember walking over to the door or how he managed to open it. His eyes landed on a spherical pod, and he could feel elation as he staggered over to the ship. He slumped against the control console beside it, and he strained to make sense of the letters on the panel.

It took a few tries, but the hatch on the pod hissed as the door lowered. Goku nearly cried when he saw that. He was about to stumble over to the ship and collapse on the seat, but Vegeta's voice stopped him.

‘Look out, Karo!’

A tight grip encircled his neck and pulled him off balance so he landed on his back. The pain from landing on his broken tail had him trying to let out a scream, but he couldn't get enough air to do so.

His hands came up to pry at whatever was squeezing his throat, and he felt his blood freeze when he felt the familiar texture. He pulled at the tail and kicked his legs as he was dragged away from his only shot at freedom.

His eyes watered as his hopes shattered and his energy surged outward against his control. The grip on his throat tightened to the point Goku felt himself blacking out from lack of oxygen.

“Shoot him, you idiots!” Shiveria shouted. Goku jerked as he felt multiple sharp stings hit him in his chest, and his ki drained away like water down a drain. The tail loosened and Goku coughed clutching at his throat sucking in as much air as he could laying on his side.

“How did this happen!” Shiveria snapped at the nearby soldiers. “Explain to me just how he managed to get this far away from my quarters and break his restraints! Someone has ten seconds to tell me before heads roll!”

“Mistress, Chirb was the last person to enter your quarters. He was bringing you a report on the status of the engine repairs.” One of the soldiers offered quickly. Shiveria’s eyes narrowed and she examined the now trembling saiyan. Red marks like fingerprints littered his chin as bruises began to form, and an unmistakable hickey was an angry red against the beta’s neck. The ice demon harshly grabbed Goku’s tail and fisted it making Goku squirm as he whimpered.

“Oh, I’m not done with you, pet. I know you couldn’t have broken free by yourself, but you tried to escape. I told you, you belong to me now. Don’t you!” She hissed squeezing the black limb harder. Goku whined and nodded desperate to make her stop.

“Then why did you try to run!” She snapped. “Why did you destroy half my ship?!” Goku screamed silently as she twisted his tail again and shook his head with tears in his eyes. Oaklio and singed Chirb entered the cargo hold with a few more guards as she made the saiyan writhe in pain.

Her eyes landed on the white haired male, and Shiveria released the beta's tail as she stormed up to the massive reptilian. He backed away a bit once Chirb saw just how angry the petite woman was at that moment.

“Chirb, can you explain just how my pet got loose?” Her words were spoken with a deadly calm that made everyone around her shiver. “When I left him last, my pet was asleep, chained in the dinning room while I left to check on a report the gamma squad sent about sector eight. Now half my ship is in shambles, and several of my crew are either injured or dead.”

The ice blue haired frost demon crossed her arm over her chest and tapped a finger impatiently on the bend of one elbow. Her steely purple eyes narrowed at the man she had cornered as he stammered for an explanation.

“Ahem…I might have accidentally broken his cuffs after he kicked me.” Chirb was surprised he managed to say that without stuttering, but a blow to his cheek ruined that for him. Just as he regained his balance, another blow struck him on the other side of his face.

Shiveria brought her tail back around after she used it to slap him making the white haired male slump to the floor. The teal length coiled around Chirb’s throat to pull him up to look the woman in the eye.

“I have told you time and time again to stop thinking with your libido. Now…because of you, my ship is more damaged than before. I should skin you and make you into a matching handbag and belt set.” She sneered at the choking man. 

Shiveria uncrossed her arms and lifted a finger with a disturbingly familiar small glowing red ball forming at the tip of it. Orange eyes widened as he clawed at the tail around his neck, but the limb just tightened even more.

Just as she was about to kill Chirb, Shiveria caught Oaklio pulling the darts out of her pet’s chest. Goku glared at the goat under his bangs, and an idea struck her so suddenly, that she let the ki fade that more she thought over it. 

That saiyan would never stop trying to get away she realized. He might play tame now, but he would never stop watching for when someone made a mistake. His spirit was bent, but it was not broken yet. Killing his mate and family would only make him fight harder she realized. He would be even more dangerous with nothing to lose. No, this one would bend as much as he had to until he could strike back, and sooner or later it was inevitable he would find an opportunity.

That had to change, she needed to shatter his spirit to the point he wouldn’t even think about trying to get away and there was only one way that could happen as, distasteful as she personally found it.

Chirb gasped as Shiveria released him absently and remained on his knees before her.

“It seems I have a use for your…distasteful habit after all, Chirb.” Shiveria said looking at the beta with a twisted grin on her face. “Since your libido is causing all of these problems, I’m going to let you get it out of your system.” She said watching Goku pale and look up at her with pleading eyes. “You can have my pet for the evening. Do what you want with him. I forbid you from permanently damaging or marking him but you will get this nonsense out of your system. Am I understood?”

“Yes, mistress.” Chirb said with a grin as he licked his lips looking at the trembling beta. “I’ll take good care of him for you.” Goku whined and looked back up at Shiveria pleading with his eyes and shaking his head. He flinched as her tail trailed down his back, and she knelt in front of him.

“Oh, don’t be scared, pet. He’ll bring you back to me in the morning.” She cooed. “I think its high time you two worked out your differences and got over this problem between the two of you.” Her hand fisted his hair and pulled him close dragging the beta onto his stomach. “You won’t ever think of escape again after this, pet. I promise you, after tonight I will finally break that irritating spirit of yours.”

“I own you.” She hissed twisting his hair a bit. “I was gracious and didn’t allow you to be violated but I grow tired of your ungrateful behavior. Maybe this will finally make it sink into that thick skull of yours, you belong to me and nothing will ever change that. You don’t eat, sleep, or breathe without my say so. And if I want to allow my soldiers to use you for their amusement there isn’t one thing you can do to stop me.”

Goku looked at her with wide eyes as he sluggishly tried to back away once she released his hair, but Chirb came up and grabbed him. The reptilian tucked the beta under his arm with the saiyan's arms pinned to his sides.

Goku weakly twisted and kicked at the larger man holding him, but whatever they shot him with and the disorientation from his ki had completely sapped his strength. His blows didn't affect the white haired man at all, but he continued to struggle unwilling to just let his rapist win. The blue arm tightened painfully around his arms and chest forcing him to be still for a moment.

“I humbly thank you for this gift, mistress, you are most generous.” Chirb spoke as he bowed a bit. “Your pet will be at your rooms first thing in the morning.”

“Just make sure he’s clean, Chirb, I don’t want to smell the aftermath of your sex all day. And take him by Oaklio’s lab in the morning for a new pair of cuffs. You should have a temporary set by then shouldn’t you?”

“Of course, mistress.” Oaklio said. Chirb looked down at the struggling beta in utter glee.

“I’ll gladly see to it he’s clean when I return him, mistress. By your leave, my mistress?” The blue alien groveled impatient to get started.

“Just go.” She waived uncaring as she began figuring out damage control with her engineers. With that said, the man turned on his heel and walked out of the room with his struggling prize under his arm.

++++VK++++

Vegeta searched relentlessly for the spark of ki that belonged to his mate after it suddenly disappeared. Unfortunately, he couldn't find a single trace of it. 

“Well?” Bardock's voice made the prince open his eyes. The older man was anxiously waiting for the other full blooded saiyan to give him news on what was happening on the other ship. He was the only one that couldn't feel ki, and he resolved to learn as soon as he could.

“It's gone. He must've been captured again.” Vegeta growled out. “He was so close too.” His tail lashed behind him as he looked off to the side. 

Gohan let out a frustrated sound as he also opened his eyes. Both younger alphas had closed their eyes to keep track of Goku's progress once his ki exploded into existence a few minutes ago. Whatever happened caused his mate’s ki to flare out of nowhere strong enough to pull even Bardock from his sleep initially.

“Dad’s ki felt very unstable. I'm worried, Vegeta.” The teen folded in on himself for a moment with his tail curling around him. “It was almost out of control. I’ve never felt his ki act like that, not even when he first went super saiyan.”

Looking over at his eldest, Vegeta realized that Gohan was still a cub in some ways, and he came over and placed a hand on his shoulder. Almost immediately, the younger saiyan gripped it with one of his own, seeking reassurance.

“Karo will be fine. He's strong, and we'll get him out of there.” The alpha purred lightly to help sooth the teen’s frazzled emotions. “I’d guess his ki his so wild because he was cut off from it for so long. He’s going to be ok, Gohan.”

“At least that stunt of his damaged a lot of the ship.” Bardock pulled up the schematic of Shiveria's vessel drawing the other’s attention. “He's knocked the alarms out, and out of pure luck he completely destroyed their weapons systems. I should have no trouble opening the cargo bay doors now that they can't blast us.”

Bardock typed on the keypad before he rushed over to the pilot’s seat. He took the throttle in hand and looked at the other two with a feral grin.

“Get ready, we're going in!”


	42. Chapter 42

“You know, pet, I wish you still had your voice.” Chirb said tossing the weakened beta on his bed. “I wanted to hear those screams of yours again, they were so pretty last time.” Goku whined trying to get up as the bed dipped. He wanted to scream at the lizard to let him go, for his Geta to save him.

Goku struggled and kicked as Chirb’s hands moved to untie his pants. He tried desperately to pull away with a whimper as he scrambled back across the bed. Chirb just chuckled in amusement and followed after the beta before straddling his hips to hold him down.

“We’re going to have so much fun, pet.” Chirb said raking his claws lightly down Goku’s chest. The saiyan tried to push the hands away only for one of the lizard’s hands to trap his wrists and pin them to the side across his chest. “Go ahead, struggle all you like, monkey. I love to watch.” He all but purred as he licked at Goku’s neck and moved up his cheek. “I’ve got you all to myself until I’m satisfied tonight, thanks to your little stunt. There are so many things I wanted to do you, and now I can try them all. You won’t remember sex with anyone else when I’m through you little slut.” Chirb purred out as he slowly rubbed his hips against the beta. Goku shook his head with clenched eyes trying to tug his arms free in spite of his weakness. The lizard moved Goku’s wrists over his head so he could get at the beta’s chest with his free hand and decided to play with his nipples.

“You don’t seem to be enjoying this, pet.” Chirb said squeezing him. “If you want me to stop all you have to do is say so.” Goku broke as Chirb touched him and tried to scream the word stop, to say anything. Nothing came out and Chirb laughed in amusement as he pinched the beta’s nipples harder drawing more whines from him. Chirb continued to rub at Goku’s chest despite the beta’s struggles. He bent close to Goku’s face and pressed a forceful kiss against his lips. Onyx eyes narrowed and Goku turned his head to pull away before sinking his teeth into the lizard’s lip as Chirb followed after him. Chirb snarled as he drew away from the panting beta and backhanded him hard enough to stun the saiyan and leave the beginnings of a bruise before flipping Goku onto his stomach and pulling his arms behind him. The alien whipped his belt off and wrapped it tightly around Goku’s wrists; knotting it off tight enough Goku felt his hands go numb as he waited for the ringing in his head to fade.

“You know, I wanted to do you without the restraints first, but if you’re going to behave like an animal I’ll just have to treat you like one.” He said grabbing the beta’s ass hard enough to leave a bruise. Goku whined unable to do anything else with how he was pinned and buried his face in shame as he started crying from Chirb’s painful attention to his rear and thighs. His rapist had made sure Goku could feel just how excited he was with how they were positioned.

A large scaled hand finally griped Goku’s hair and hauled him back where he sat on his knees practically in the lizard’s lap before both hands began running over his body, one teasing his nipples at times and the other grabbing his inner thigh or rear. The beta jerked at his restraints and whined when a pair of sickeningly familiar lips attacked his neck. When they fixed themselves on his mating mark Goku sobbed and fought against the alien’s grasp as disgust washed over him instead of the euphoria that came from his mate’s attention to that spot.

Chirb grew frustrated as his actions weren’t getting the aroused response he wanted from his victim. His hand cupped the beta’s groin causing Goku to buck and twist franticly, trying to get away as the scaled hand rubbed him through his pants. A high keen came from Goku’s throat as the lizard squeezed and rubbed slowly to force the beta respond. Silent pleas poured from Goku’s lips as he shook his head and cried harder. His head tilled forward with another dry sob as Chirb’s other hand tightly gripped his the back of his neck to hold him still.

‘Geta, you promised! I can’t do this again! You promised me you wouldn’t let this happen! Geta, please!’

He couldn’t take any more as the lizard’s hand dipped inside the front of his pants. He gave a strangled whine as he shut down. Chirb paid no mind to the beta as he went lax in his hold with soft whines coming from Goku as he continued to molest the otherwise non-responsive saiyan.

“We have all night to play, pet. Why don’t I get you out of those pants so we can get started?” A hand grabbed his white hair and dragged him away from Goku, slamming him into the floor before planting a boot against his throat.

“Get your fucking hands off my mate.” Vegeta snarled quietly. An unholy light in the alpha’s eyes promised death. The white haired male pushed at the foot to get his breathing back.

His blazing eyes flickered over to the prone form on the bed only for them widen. Twisted ropes of scars covered Goku's back, and his skin had gotten paler. It was painfully obvious his mate had lost weight, he didn't look as muscular as before, and his tail…the poor limb had several painful looking kinks down its length. The sight of the collar and tail ring enraged Vegeta.

He lifted his foot and kicked the larger man in the side feeling his ribs break from the force, sending him flying into the wall furthest from the bed. Chirb's body made an indent in the wall, and ki rings pinned him to the wall by his arms and neck. 

Vegeta held his right hand up in a loose fist and as he tightened it, the rings tightened on Chirb. A whine brought his attention back to the bed, and now that he was closer, the alpha could see his mate’s blank stare. Vegeta grew worried as he began to untie the belt keeping Goku's arms restrained, and he froze when the beta's arms fell on the bed. 

Now, every mark the reptilian had made was more visible in the low lighting. Finger and hand shaped bruises covered a lot of the pale skin, and bite marks littered Goku’s neck and shoulders. Vegeta’s eyes landed on the bond bite he left on Goku only to see another set of teeth marks shallowly covering his own. His blood boiled as he shook in absolute rage. His lip curled revealing his fangs at the audacity of this piece of trash covering his mating mark and touching Karo against his will.

The alpha let out a roar as he shoved his hand through Chirb's abdomen. The reptilian let out a choked scream as he felt that hand twist around in his body. The saiyan grabbed ahold of something squishy and brutally yanked it out. The last thing Chirb saw was the livid prince holding his still beating heart.

Vegeta glared at the body as he crushed the organ in his hand. Blood was splattered all over his body, staining the blue suit and his usual armor he wore. The dominant growled and felt unsatisfied with how little that bastard suffered, but his mate was more important at the moment.

“Veg-whoa…” Bardock stopped short as he came to the smashed door. Vegeta was still trembling in rage as blood dripped to the floor from his clenched fist. A glance behind Vegeta at his son told Bardock all he needed to know as he bared his own fangs at the body before he spat on it when Vegeta released his ki rings. Bardock forced himself to calm down as he threw a nearby towel at his son in law.

“Wipe that blood off, that’s the last thing Kakarot needs right now.” Bardock said. “You’ll smell like that piece of trash otherwise.” That made Vegeta snarl but he complied with Bardock’s order. Meanwhile the father knelt on the bed and started to check on his son.

He had to take several deep breaths to keep from going super saiyan and killing every being on this ship. He gently reached out to touch Goku’s face, careful of the already darkening bruises. The beta just whined softly and didn’t move at all as he continued to stare blankly at nothing. 

“Oh Kakarot….”

“How bad is it?” Vegeta asked, concern thick in his voice as he threw the bloody towel aside. He knew next to nothing about this kind of damage.

“He’s checked out on me before when I asked about what happened to him,” Bardock admit, “but never like this. He was still responsive and would speak when I asked something. I don’t think he knows its us.” Vegeta knelt and took Bardock’s place.

“Karo?” He asked softly as he searched his mate’s eyes for any sign he was still there. “Karo, it’s Geta. I’m here. I made sure that bastard can’t touch you ever again. Your father and I are here Karo, its safe now.” Goku whined again at his mate’s touch as Vegeta brushed his thumb over his cheek. They felt their hopes plummet when he didn’t respond. Vegeta held back his tears and pressed their foreheads together. “Please come back to me Karo.” He whispered softly before he pulled away a moment later.

Both he and Bardock froze as they saw Goku’s nose twitch and watched as the beta inhaled Vegeta’s scent. Dark eyes blinked slowly before he nuzzled into Vegeta’s hand with a soft whimper. Relief filled both alphas as Kakarot continued to breathe in the scent of his mate and nuzzled Vegeta’s hand while his blank eyes started to drift closed.

“Bardock, I need you to get him back to the ship.” Vegeta said softly once Goku was asleep. The beta whimpered as he removed his hand but calmed once Bardock placed his wrist near his son’s nose and breathed in his sire’s scent. “I’m going to make sure Shiveria never harms our family again. I need you to keep him safe for me, Bardock.”

“What about Gohan?” The older alpha asked as he gathered his son to him. “You need someone to back you up here Vegeta. We can’t just blast through all of her men, Vegeta, not on this ship.”

“I'll look for him first. He's not too far away from here.” The prince walked over to the door and took a look outside. Surprisingly, no one had come by yet. Vegeta looked back at his sleeping mate with a pained expression. “Hurry, Bardock. You have a straight shot to the ship if you leave now.”

The older man nodded as he dashed out with Goku held tight in his arms. Vegeta waited until the pair was out of sight before he ran in the opposite direction. He followed his senses as he ran past the unmoving forms that his oldest stepson immobilized.

The dominant came to an open door that revealed some type of lab. He took a few steps inside and suddenly raised his guard once he heard typing. Vegeta looked around the computers to see Gohan typing away with an angry expression and a small goat like being slumped by his feet.

“Vegeta! Did you find Dad?” The teen asked without looking away from the screen. 

“Yes, Bardock is taking him back to the ship. I'm going to need your help to get to Shiveria. I bet she knows we're here now.” The older man stepped over another unconscious male as he came up beside Gohan. “What have you found?”

His question made the younger saiyan snarl at the smaller body at his feet. The uncharacteristic action made Vegeta raise a brow, and he came closer once Gohan gestured to the screen he was still typing away at.

“They have data on Dad. This…goat…has so many files on him, and I'm downloading it in case there's something we need to know later. After that, I'm going to delete it.” A clear green disk came out of a slit by the monitor, and the teen placed it in a case. Once it was secure, he deleted everything on the hard drive.

“Now, we can-“

Vegeta slamming his fist in the metal made the younger man take a step back. The prince pulled the limb back with a handful of wires clenched in his hand. He calmly looked over at his gaping stepson.

“What? That's just extra insurance that they can't somehow find the data.” Vegeta said with a slight smirk. “In fact, I'd say let's destroy this whole room. Who knows what is on these machines…”

A glint out of the corner of his eye caught Vegeta's attention. He reacted on instinct as he pushed Gohan away with one hand while a cuff enclosed on his opposite wrist. The prince took an awkward step back as his ki flickered unstably within his body. 

Vegeta tried to get his fingers under the edge of the cuff to break it off, but it was pressed too tight to his glove to get a fingertip under the metal. He finally brought his other fist up, and broke the cuff with a well placed chop.

Gohan came up beside the older man to steady him just as an alarm sounded off. Red flashed in the room and the sound of a weapon cocking made the two saiyans look up. The green goat man was aiming two tranquilizer guns at the pair as he stood next to the ruined computer.

“I should have killed that other monkey when I had the chance.” Oaklio said as he took in the damage to his lab. He sneered showing his jagged teeth. “Years worth of research gone thanks to you two.” 

Gohan tensed to rush at the smaller man, but a red dot appeared on his chest from the gun. The older alpha grabbed one of the teen’s arms to keep him from moving, and another dot appeared on the prince.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you. I've devised this specific serum to nullify saiyan ki using Son Goku's DNA. I'm sure it will work just as well on the two of you as it did him.” Oaklio gestured with one of the guns. “Give me that disk, boy.”

Gohan looked to Vegeta, and the prince gave him a nod without looking away from the goat. An idea was forming in his head as those yellow eyes locked onto the teen as he reached inside the neck of the blue and black armor he wore.

Once the smaller man’s attention was completely locked on Gohan, Vegeta rushed forward and managed to kick the two guns out of Oaklio’s hands. The alpha was quick to grab the little alien by his neck and slammed him into the damaged equipment.

“So you’re the bastard that is partly responsible for drugging Kakarot.” Vegeta growled as his grip tightened making the goat choke for air. “This is just my lucky day.” Vegeta grinned showing off his fangs. “First I finally catch up to you and get Karo back. Then I kill that pet lizard reject for daring to touch my mate and now I get to deal with you.” His tail picked up one of the fallen guns and placed it in the prince’s free hand.

“I’m not much of a scientist, I never quite had the patience for it honestly. But I’m curious about what your serum based on Kakarot’s DNA will do to someone who’s not a saiyan.” He placed the barrel of the gun against the goat’s chest with a feral grin at the panic in the doctor’s eyes. “Let’s test that, shall we?”

Vegeta emptied the four darts in the gun into Oaklio’s chest and released him. He and Gohan watched as the man’s pupils dilated and he almost immediately began sweating. Gohan flinched and looked away as the goat screamed like he was on fire while Vegeta watched in morbid fascination as the scientist convulsed and went still.

Vegeta stared at the body a few more seconds before beginning to destroy the other computers around him. He ignored the look Gohan was giving him as he worked around the unmoving teen incinerating everything he couldn’t smash.

“That was cruel, Vegeta.” The words were quiet, but they managed to make the other man look in Gohan's direction. “I'm not sure he deserved that.”

“When did I ever claim to be otherwise, brat?” The prince stated expressionlessly. “You have no idea what has been done to Karo by these people, but I do. That bastard should be thankful I gave him a quick death instead of dragging it out. Now…are you going to help me? We need to hurry.”

Deciding to bite his tongue, the half saiyan helped with the lab’s destruction. Just as they were about to leave, the two dominants felt Bardock's power skyrocket, and several smaller ki signatures were headed in their direction.

“Shit!” Vegeta cursed as he ran towards the door with Gohan on his heels. Just as they came out of the lab, ki blasts had them ducking for cover. “We took to long! Shiveria must be close to Bardock and Kakarot!”

The prince fired a few blasts back hearing the shouts of his targets as they fell. Gohan did the same, but his attacks were not as lethal as his stepfather’s. One ki orb caught him on the cheek as he came out from behind his shield leaving a small burn.

“Well, the only way to get back to grandfather is through them!” The teen shouted over the noise. “Try not to put too much energy in your attacks! We can't rupture the hull of the ship!”

“I’m very much aware of that, Gohan!” Vegeta snarled as he rushed out to plow through the assorted aliens. “Just keep up! Kill them if you can Gohan, they’ll just wake up and come at us again with more firepower. We can’t afford to get boxed in between an army and Shiveria.”

Vegeta and Gohan began to punch and kick their way through the masses as they hurried back to the cargo bay.


	43. Chapter 43

Bardock placed his son in Vegeta's room on the ship and hurried back to the cockpit. He was keeping an eye on the sensors as he waited for Vegeta and Gohan to hurry up. The older man set up the shields on the ship, and went back to look in on Goku.

He came in, and immediately his eyes fell on the collar that was still around the beta's throat. The alpha growled in anger as he quickly broke the metal without causing further harm to his son and threw the pieces into the hall. Once that monstrosity was gone, Bardock gently turned his son on his side and set about tending to the wounds the submissive had gotten as best he could.

As he worked down the sleeping form, the dominant make careful note of every mark, bruise, and scar on his youngest son. When he got to the other's tail, Bardock started in horror. Seeing all that damage, and the ring at the base of the limb had him growling in rage. With how swollen the tail looked, the ring appeared to be cutting into the limb, and if it wasn't removed, there was a serious probability that Goku could loose his tail again. It looked like that was his most serious wound at the moment and something Bardock could actually deal with quickly.

As soon as his hand touched the ring and the fur around it, the submissive woke up in a panic. He whined out of fear as he tried to scramble backwards away from those hands near his tail as he twisted to put the shattered limb under him. He was so frightened that he still couldn't tell who he was with.

“Kakarot!” Bardock shouted his name as he grabbed the trembling arms to keep the younger saiyan from falling off the bed. As soon as he touched Goku, the submissive panicked more, and whined again as he tried to get free. Bardock could barely feel the panicked blows of his son as he weakly thrashed. Between what ever they drugged him with and that damn ring cutting into his tail, the older male wasn’t surprised. “It's me! You're safe now. It’s alright,son.”

Hearing the concerned voice of his father made the beta freeze, and he looked up at his mirror image with silent sobs wracking his frame. Bardock was relieved to see awareness in his son’s eyes instead of his former vacant stare, even if it was clouded with panic and terror. Once it finally sank in that he was with Bardock, Goku launched himself at his father to bury his face in his sire’s neck. He held tight to the alpha's neck as his shoulders shook with the force of his emotional release.

Bardock brought his arms up to hold the traumatized beta and to help calm him. Goku whimpered and tried to curl as small as he could in his father’s arms, flinching every time Bardock’s hands touched a new place on his back and shoulders.

“Its alright, son, I’m here. I’ve got you.” He felt his heart break at how small his son had gotten. Kakarot felt almost fragile in his arms now. The beta was always a little smaller than him, especially after Vegito’s birth, but this was so much worse. He purred and tucked his son’s head under his chin just holding him while Goku cried from the overwhelming emotions. “Its over, we’re gonna get you home now.”

When his tail came up to brush at Goku’s back comfortingly he didn’t expect his son to flinch harder and whine or jerk away when he tried to massage his scalp like he had so many times when Kakarot was upset. He wanted to rip Shiveria’s spine out and strangle her with it. He noticed his son’s tail was limp aside from a few twitches that had him whimpering in pain with each movement. He needed to take care of that now.

“Kakarot, I need to take care of your tail.” He said softly. Bardock wasn’t surprised when Kakarot whined shaking his head and tried to shrink even smaller. He didn’t particularly want to cause his hurt son any more pain but there wasn’t another way to get the ring off.

“I know, son.” He soothed as he held the beta tighter. “But I need to get that ring off before it makes you lose your tail again. It’s going to be ok. I promise I’ll be as gentle as I can.” He felt relief as Kakarot nodded and allowed himself to be shifted a bit so Bardock could reach his tail, but he refused to let go of his sire and latched onto the straps of his father’s armor so the man could see what he was doing. Bardock felt Goku’s whole body tense as he touched the silver ring while his son whined and gripped him tighter.

“Shh, it’s alright.” He crooned feeling for a good place to grip the metal without hurting his son more than he had to. Not finding anything he gripped it on both sides and quickly ripped it in two. He felt Goku instantly relax and give a sigh of relief as he nuzzled into his father’s shoulder. Bardock relaxed and gave Tarro a silent prayer of thanks when there was no blood or sign of infection under the tail ring as he purred and scratched at Goku’s scalp, glad his son only lightly flinched at his touch.

“That must feel better.” Goku nodded as he started to drift off again as his emotions and relief to his tail drained him. Bardock felt slightly concerned when his son still didn’t say anything to him but considering how overwhelmed his son was Bardock wasn’t very surprised with what he knew about trauma. Gine never spoke much when overly upset either and Kalious only knew what his son had been through. Kakarot’s grip started to loosen as the tension left and his emotions exhausted him.

“You can sleep, son, you’re safe here.” He gently eased Goku from his lap and onto the bed, smiling as his son contently nuzzled Vegeta’s pillow to breathe in more of his mate’s calming scent before he covered Goku with a blanket and continued to scratch his scalp while purring. Bardock hoped that the swelling in Kakarot’s tail would go down and they could fix the worst of the damage. He vowed that he wouldn’t let anything else hurt his son.

A loud rumble shook the ship and Bardock jumped up and ran for the door. Seeing his son was asleep he sealed the doors to the bedroom and made his way to the cockpit and view screens. He paled looking at the view screen as the shields repelled another blast. Shiveria was standing outside the ship with a smug look on her face.

“I think you have something that belongs to me.”

The alpha snarled as he looked at the shields. They were being drained rapidly with repelling the frost demon’s attacks, and they wouldn't last too much longer. Once again Bardock cursed at his inability to sense ki. He had no idea where Vegeta and Gohan were, but it looks like he was going to have to stall for time.

‘Although…if I end up killing her, then it's Vegeta's own fault.’ Bardock gave a fanged grin as he walked over to open the hatch. His eyes landed on the pieces of the collar that had been around Goku's neck, and he scooped them up on his way.

 

Shiveria stopped firing once the door landed on the floor of the cargo bay. She crossed her arms as a slender eyebrow lifted when she saw an almost exact copy of her pet come strolling out of the smaller ship.

The saiyan stopped just before the shields and gave the petite woman a smirk.

“You're right. I do have something that belongs to you. You’re welcome to have it back.” Bardock quickly flung the broken collar to Shiveria, and the metal clanged as it stopped at her feet. “I apologize if it's broken, but I didn't have the key to unlock it.”

“I'm here for more than that, monkey.” Purple eyes narrowed at Bardock. Shiveria slowly uncrossed her arms and allowed them to hang loose at her sides. “Are you going to stand aside or get in my way? Either choice will lead to me reclaiming my pet.”

“You are never going to get him back.” Bardock's face twisted into a snarl as he powered up to SSJ2. He slipped into one of his fighting stances with his legs bent and his hands clenched into fists at chest level. His teal eyes glared at the woman as his golden ki wrapped around his body.

The two stared down at each other waiting for someone to make a move. The room was filled with tension that exploded when something fell to the ground making a noise.

Bardock pushed off the ground, and rushed towards the ice blue haired female. His left arm was reared back for a punch that Shiveria ducked under. The look of surprise that flashed over the saiyan's face didn't last long as he brought up his right arm. He caught a kick with his forearm, and he gritted his teeth at the force behind the blow.

Shiveria smirked as she spun in the air before Bardock to bring her other leg up to catch him on the head. Bardock dropped his arm as he leaned back making her just barely miss his face. He followed the momentum of his body and back flipped a couple of times to put space between them.

Bardock shifted his head to the side to avoid the spear like thrust of her incredibly long tail. With a grin he shot forward and planted a punch in Shiveria’s stomach that threw her back further away from the ship. Both phased out of view and collided again trading several blows without actually landing any significant hits until Shiveria spun around behind the alpha. Bardock shouted in pain as her tail scored into his back drawing blood and sent him crashing into the floor. He recovered quick enough as he felt at the wound and growled finding blood.

He clenched his fists and rush at the woman again only to phase out. Shiveria blinked and quickly turned to around to block the attack that was sure to come only to catch the saiyan too late. Bardock slammed a fist into her cheek as he sped past her. 

Shiveria's body twisted as she went sailing through the air, and a dent formed in the metal along the wall as that petite body slammed into it. Bardock's feet just barley skimmed the floor as he followed his opponent’s path. 

The frost demon pulled herself out of the small crater with growl, and she glared through her bangs at the saiyan. She hurried to meet Bardock half way, and their fists met with tremendous force causing the ship around them to groan at the strain of their combined power.

They both locked hands as they pushed against each other. Bardock snarled and let his power flare shooting out at Shiveria with blue lightening. The saiyan roared and slammed his head into the ice demon’s. Shiveria reeled back dodging his next blow, before sweeping his legs with her tail and wrapping the limb tightly against his ankle and slamming him face down into the ground.

Thinking that would keep the saiyan from interfering when he didn't immediately get back on his feet, Shiveria started to walk back over to the ship. She could see that the shields keeping her out were so weak that one more good-sized ki blast would do the trick.

Her arm was extended out with a purple ki orb slowly growing bigger as Shiveria calculated at what strength the blast should be.

“This is a lot of trouble for one pet…” The ice blue haired female muttered to herself. “But…he could be useful and provide me with three more pets. I'm sure his wellbeing will keep the others in line.”

“Where do you think you're going?” A rough voice came from behind the woman just as a set of hands got ahold of her tail. Bardock snarled at her. “Like hell I’m going to let you anywhere near my son!”

He pulled on that thin tail, and after Shiveria tried to keep her footing, the petite woman was swung off her feet. The alpha started to turn on his heel, as he held tight. His momentum got faster and faster until with a shout, Bardock released the frost demon sending her flying into a wall on the opposite side of the hold.

His victory was short lived as Shiveria rushed back at him and dug her elbow in his side. The saiyan let out a shout as his body was flung into a wall. His face was furrowed in pain as he fell back to the floor. He panted as he pushed himself on his hands and knees. A shadow fell over Bardock, and he snarled as he looked up to see the frost demon sneering down at him.

“You must be where your son got that infuriating stubbornness.” She said examining her nails. “I’ve enjoyed beating it out of him.”

“I can see how well that worked out for you.” Bardock growled with a smirk. “You must have been dumb enough to wake him up judging by that scar of yours.”

The dominant hauled himself back on his feet and took another stance. He could feel the SS2 form burning through his energy reserves faster than he felt comfortable with and worry started to grow in the back of his mind.

‘I can't keep this transformation up for much longer. Dear Kalious…where are Vegeta and Gohan?!’ Bardock narrowed his eyes. He kicked off the floor and met Shiveria in another round of blows that hardly inflicted damage on the two fighters. As they fought, they started to subconsciously rise in the air for more leverage.

The battle was at a stalemate until Bardock faked a punch only to bring his knee up to slam it in Shiveria's chin. The hit dazed her just long enough for the saiyan to clasp his hands together to form a fist and bring it down on the woman's head.

The teal colored female crashed into the floor making metal buckle around her as it formed a depression around her body. Dust blocked Bardock's view of her, and he slowly floated back down. He cautiously walked over to try and see if his last strike knocked her out.

Unfortunately, the frost demon wasn't as affected as he would like, and something rushed out of the smoke aimed for the saiyan. Shiveria wrapped her tail tight around the alpha's throat, and she let out a cold laugh as she started to squeeze. Bardock let out a choked cough as he pulled on the tail blocking his airway. 

“How long will it take for me to squeeze the life out of you, saiyan?” The frost demon casually asked as her grip tightened once more. “I wonder if your pelt will remain blond after you die…I could make a beautiful scarf out of it.”

Black spots began to dot Bardock's vision as he tried to push his fingers between that tail and his throat. Seeing as there wasn't any room, an idea struck the saiyan out of desperation. He placed both hands on the teal length and got a firm grip. 

Just as Shiveria started to look confused, the saiyan charged ki to his hands and severely burned her flesh. The ki traveled up her tail like electricity scorching the flesh as it came closer to her body. The woman let out a shriek as she quickly pulled away from Bardock who collapsed on his knees panting as struggling not to let his transformation die. ‘I am definitely going to be training with the others in holding this form longer.’ He opened one to glare at Shiveria as she held her tail.

Most of the limb was either red or black with small patches of teal scattered along the tail. The marks ended just about six inches from where the tail met the rest of her body, and the sight made Bardock smirk. 

“You bastard! How could you do this to my beautiful tail?!” Shiveria glared at the saiyan with a hateful expression twisted on her face. Her words only made Bardock chuckle, and that infuriated her even more.

“Maybe that will teach you not to swing it around during a fight. Personally I find it to be an improvement, now it matches your awful personality.” Bardock taunted. “Consider the favor returned from my son.”

The ice blue haired woman let out another shriek as she rushed over to the saiyan with blue and black energy crackling over her hands. She clamped them down on either side of the alpha's head and pushed the ki into his body.

“If that’s how you want to play fine.” She spat in fury. “Let's see how you like getting cooked from the inside out!” 

Bardock screamed as energy coursed through his body. It felt like his insides were going to melt if he didn't get free of her hold soon. His hands came up to pull her arms away, but he couldn't get his hands to grip her wrists to do so as his muscles seized on him.

Shiveria laughed at seeing the larger man on his knees clawing at her arms to get free. His screams were music to her ears.

“You don’t scream near as pretty as your son did.” She said slowing the flow of energy to savor his pain as a gleam of madness shown in her amethyst eyes. “You should have heard him when I crushed that ugly tail of his, and the flogging I gave him for this scar, it was glorious. I was going to keep the rest of you as pets as well, but I’ve changed my mind with you. I hope you enjoyed your last few minutes with your son monkey; you won’t be seeing him ever again. Maybe I’ll let him sleep on your pelt after I kill you.”

A kick to her ribs sent her sailing through the air once more, and she twisted to get her feet under her. She glared at whoever interrupted her fun with Bardock only to stop short.

Vegeta was standing defensively in front of the downed saiyan with a snarl on his face. Gohan rushed to the older man that was now back in his normal state. Shiveria growled and shot a blast at the distracted teen. The teen looked up as Vegeta shot his own blast to intercept Shiveria’s attack and they exploded. 

“Your business is with me now.” He growled as his tail thrashed behind him.

“If it isn’t the little monkey prince.” Shiveria said almost amused as her arms crossed over her chest while she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “You’ve certainly grown since I saw you last. Do you miss your old master? Don’t worry, I’m more than happy to take in any of Frieza’s strays.” Vegeta growled low enough that his body vibrated more than the sound was heard.

“I’m going to kill you, you sadistic bitch.” The prince spat. “Just like I killed the goat and your pet lizard for what they did to Kakarot.”


	44. Chapter 44

“You…?” Shiveria giggled with a hand covering her mouth. “You honestly think you can kill me? Oh, you've been without a master for too long if you are delusional enough to live in that fantasy.”

“It's not a fantasy, bitch.” Vegeta crossed his arms with a smirk on his face. He transformed into his SS2 state without much effort. “It's something I'm going to make happen very soon.”

The prince’s body shifted a little to make sure he was prepared if the frost demon tried to attack him or the two behind him. 

Gohan moved Bardock to lay on his back as he looked over the older man's body for any life threatening injuries. The green and black armored saiyan grunted with a pained expression on his face as he was moved.

“Grandfather, are you alright?” The teen asked when he saw no major wounds. He helped Bardock sit up as the older alpha put a hand on his head.

“Fine.” He snarled as he opened his eyes to glare at the woman. “Just a headache.”

“Only a headache?” Shiveria chuckled. “I must be slipping, the last time I used that without killing my victim they might as well have been dead.” Vegeta and Gohan growled at her. “All this fuss over my pet, surely you know its useless. You should know from experience, Vegeta, I never give up something that’s mine. If you want your mate that badly though you’re welcome to join him. I could use a well trained pet to teach him to behave. In fact…you all can join him.” Vegeta’s lip curled revealing one of his fangs. “Except for you that is.” She pointed at Bardock. “I’m going to use your skull as a decoration for what you did to my tail.”

“Like I said, it's an improvement, and Kakarot never belonged to you.” Bardock snarled seething in rage.

“I assure you he does.” Shiveria responded coolly. “I invested too much time and effort into acquiring him and then training him. Son Goku is mine.”

Just hearing that statement had the prince’s hackles rising as well as his anger. His hands clenched and his teeth were bared in a fierce snarl.

“Bardock, Gohan.” Vegeta practically growled out as he moved his head to call over his shoulder without taking his eyes off Shiveria. He gracefully slid into a fighting stance as his power flared up around him. “Get on the ship. I don't want the two of you getting in my way.”

Gohan opened his mouth to protest, but Bardock placed his hand on the teen’s shoulder. He shook his head as he shakily got on his feet. The younger man was quick to support the taller saiyan by placing one of Bardock arms over his shoulders.

The youngest of the three gave his stepfather one last look before he hurried back to the ship. He remained powered up until the pair landed behind the ship’s shields. The older man directed him to the engine room so the teen could use his ki to replenish the shields in preparation for the battle about to take place. Once the shields were restored, Gohan rushed to the bridge to watch the fight with his grandfather.

“Fine.” Shiveria huffed. “If you're so insistent on getting in my way, I'll play with you for a little while. Maybe a few good hits will remind you of your place.”

The woman rushed at Vegeta with her arm cocked back to deliver a powerful punch. The saiyan sidestepped the attack and phased out of view to land a kick to Shiveria's side. The blow sent her flying, but she was able to right herself.

Shiveria looked for opponent, but a fist slamming into her cheek followed by a rain of strikes that landed all over her upper body. Vegeta didn't let up on his assault as he slowly pushed the frost demon into a wall.

The saiyan took immense satisfaction when he felt something crack in the woman's chest, but her damaged tail slapped him away from her. He spun in the air as he was flung sideways into a round pod. The metal twisted around him once his body made impact.

Shiveria had let out a grunt as she moved her tail again, and she brought a hand to wipe the corner of her mouth to see a smear of purple blood on her fingers.

“How adorable.” She hissed blurring and appearing behind the saiyan prince trying to take his head off with her fist. Vegeta avoided her first strike and was forced to block her vicious series of kicks and punches as she retaliated. Her tail lashed the side of his cheek that he couldn’t avoid. 

Vegeta saw his chance and caught her leg before spinning and throwing her into the floor and planting both feet into her back. Shiveria retaliated grabbing him with her tail and throwing him into the ground before slamming him two or three more times before Vegeta took a firm hold on her tail and gave her a taste of her own attack before he launched her into a wall.

+++VK+++

“Wow….I haven't seen Vegeta like this before…” Gohan muttered as his eyes tracked the fighters. “He normally toys around with his opponents.”

Bardock hissed as the teen wrapped a bandage around his upper arm. He felt angry that this slip of a female was able to throw him around like she did, and he felt some morbid satisfaction when Shiveria's blood was drawn.

“His mate was harmed by her and is in a vulnerable position right now. I’m sure Vegeta will want to wrap this up as quickly as possible.” The older man moved his arm around to test the mobility after Gohan finished tending to his wounds.

“How is dad?”

“I'm not sure. He's in bad shape, but I don't know the full extent of his injuries or what was done to him.” Bardock ran a hand through his hair as he watched Shiveria land a decent blow on the prince. The fighters disappeared from view, and shockwaves could be felt through the shield.

“He was completely checked out when we got to him, which I don’t have to tell you is a very bad thing. I started to clean up his wounds before Shiveria showed up and he woke up panicked when I tried to help his tail.” Bardock growled and the armrest of his chair dented. “That bitch made him dress like a whore and put a tail ring on him after she shattered the limb. He’s lucky to not have lost his tail again.” Gohan growled startling his grandfather with the unusual behavior.

“Calm down.” Bardock commanded. He didn’t need his grandson charging into the middle of Vegeta’s fight in a blind rage. “I took care of his tail for now. There was no blood or infection; all we can do is wait to see if the swelling goes down on its own now.”

“Did he calm down or did you have to knock him out?”

“Your father was calm enough to know he’s safe; I got through to him enough he knew it was me and for him to let me deal with his tail. Unsurprisingly he had a pretty serious emotional breakdown. He’s in Vegeta’s room, the smell calmed him down enough to put him out for the time being. It’s best we let him wake up on his own unless he’s having a nightmare. I hope that will be enough to bring him out of shock; my knowledge of this kind of thing is pretty limited.”

“I’ve read about it for school, but I’ve never had experience with this kind of thing.” Gohan admit.

“Kakarot will be ok eventually, he’s strong. Finding out what happened to him will help both him and us to get him through this. It’s not going to quick or easy, Gohan, I hope you understand that. Your father will need some time before he’s back to his old self.” 

++++VK+++

“Is this really the best you can do?” Vegeta yelled to the frost demon. He crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for Shiveria to dig herself out. “It's no wonder you weren't more of a threat to Frieza when he was alive. I bet the only reason you've risen to the top is because of your looks.”

A feminine shout came from the hole, and a purple aura burned around the woman as she launched her body at the saiyan prince. Her nails cut along his cheek as he moved his head to the side, but Shiveria twisted around in the air to kick at the Vegeta.

The alpha blocked the incoming hit with his shin and followed up with a punch that was blocked by the frost demon’s hand. Shiveria and Vegeta glared at each other as they struggled to push the other off balance.

The saiyan's face twisted in a smirk that threw Shiveria off guard. Vegeta then pulled the arm holding his hand back towards him making the woman stumble. He then brought his knee up to slam it into Shiveria's stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Keeping his leg where it was, the dominant brought an elbow down on the back of her head. The force of the blow left her gasping for breath.

“You are going to pay in blood for what you did to my mate, and I intend to bleed you dry.” Vegeta hissed in her ear.

Vegeta caught the ice blue braid, and pulled on it. Shiveria screamed as she brought her hands up to relieve the pressure. He used his hold to bring her head down so her nose met his knee. Blood started to pour down the female frost demon’s face, but the saiyan refused to let go of his opponent.

He took a step back as he pulled on the braid still in his hands. Vegeta stood still as he started to swing her around above his head enjoying the screams he was getting. Once she came around in front of him, the alpha released her. She bounced across the floor and crashed through the wall leading further into the ship.

“Get back up so I can smack you around again!” Vegeta snarled. He looked around cautiously as the ship began to shake around him. Both he and Gohan felt the massive spike in her power and the wall exploded from the force of her purple ki expanding.

“Get out of here!” Vegeta shouted back at the ship. Bardock and Gohan stared in shock.

“Is he insane?!” Bardock asked. “This ship is going to blow if it takes much more damage at this rate.”

“There’s no point to fighting her if he gets himself killed when she blows the ship up.”

“I said get going!” Vegeta snarled. “I’ll buy you some time. Gohan can find me after I use an escape pod. Now get moving before you’re not able to clear the blast and all this was for nothing!”

Bardock growled and activated the hatch closing the ship and firing the thrusters. Gohan whipped around in disbelief.

“We can’t leave him!”

“If we stay, we’ll all die.” Bardock growled. “Vegeta knows what he’s doing.” ‘For Kakarot’s sake you’d better, Vegeta.’ He thought to himself as the ship left the cargo hold and the doors shut behind them.

Vegeta smiled knowing Kakarot was safe. He never told the others but he managed to survive space for a few moments using the aura of his ascension to shield himself long enough to get to a ship. It was only good for 1 minute at most though and was more taxing than even his Final Flash. He just hoped it wasn’t needed.

Shiveria launched from the wall with blinding speed, blood running down her face and chest. Her hands crackled with the familiar energy she used to torture Bardock.

“I'll make you pay for scaring me, monkey!”

Vegeta waited until the last second before he ducked under her grasping hands and focused his ki into his fist. He punched the frost demon in the sternum with every bit of physical strength his body possessed, and a blast of white energy erupted from Shiveria's back scorching the metal ceiling.

The woman had a look of shocked pain on her face as the saiyan pulled his arm back with a smirk, and her arms wrapped around her middle as she collapsed to the ground. Shiveria gasped in air as coughs wracked her slender frame and blood dripped down to the floor. 

Vegeta watched her try and get enough air with an expressionless face for a few moments. His eyes narrowed as she didn't get up. Finally, he walked over to her and grabbed her hair again to pull her up to his eye level. 

The female let out another cry of pain as her hair was pulled, and she was forced to hold the braid just under the saiyan's hands to relieve the pressure. Her violet eyes glared at Vegeta as he stared at her.

“You think you've won, princeling?” Shiveria hissed out. 

“I’m not the one bleeding everywhere at my opponent’s mercy.” Vegeta grinned sadistically before he punched her in the face and sent her crashing into the floor a few feet away. “Please enlighten me because if beating you bloody doesn’t count as winning I would love to know what does. Shall I rip off a limb? I’d rip out your heart and show it to you like I did your bastard lizard but I highly doubt you actually have that particular organ.” Vegeta snarled as he kicked her across the floor before stomping on her tail to stop her from going too far.

The scream the frost demon let out was high pitched enough to hurt Vegeta's ears, but he still relished in the noise. She clawed at the floor trying to get away from the saiyan, but the weight on her tail prevented her from going anywhere. The woman gritted her teeth as she glared over her shoulder.

“I wouldn't get too confident, monkey…” Shiveria's eyes narrowed even further. “I'm not even close to being finished.” 

The prince’s eyes widened in shock as she gathered her ki in her body before the energy exploded around her throwing Vegeta off of her tail. The structure around the pair let out a loud groan from the strain as Shiveria continued to build her power.

The sound of metal buckling under the strain made Vegeta look up from where he landed on the floor. The door of the cargo bay shook from the effort to contain the ki Shiveria was producing. The saiyan just barely had enough time to surround himself with his ki as the door finally gave way from the pressure.

“Bye bye, monkey!” Shiveria laughed as the pressure of the hold changed rapidly, and she was sucked out into the vacuum of space. Vegeta had no time to curse or contemplate further as he felt the ship kick start a chain reaction. Sirens began blaring in a hauntingly familiar warning to evacuate. He wasted no time and ran towards a row of escape pods that looked to be intact. The air was already getting thin. Thankfully one of the pods was intact. 

He paused for a moment as the realization Shiveria was out there waiting for him to launch struck him. He’d be a sitting duck. Stepping back Vegeta blurred along the row of ships activating several at random before jumping into the last one. He had to hope it was enough to distract Shiveria for now if her injuries didn’t.

“I’m counting on you to be able to figure out which one I am, Gohan, don’t screw this up.” The prince growled punching in the command to seek the nearest planet.


	45. Chapter 45

Vegeta gritted his teeth as he felt the shockwave from landing on solid ground. It was one of the things he absolutely detested whenever he was traveling from planet to planet: the rough landing and the tight space in the pod itself.

The hatch to the pod opened and the prince couldn't get out of the ship fast enough. For a brief moment his hand lifted up to his left ear to punch a button on his nonexistent scouter, but he stopped it halfway up.

“Humph…old habits die hard…” 

The saiyan had been worried that Shiveria would have blasted his pod into oblivion before he could get to relative safety, but she had been so busy shooting the empty ones that Vegeta managed to slip by undetected.

“Crazy bitch.” He muttered as he crossed his arms. He looked around once he got out of the crater his attack pod made. 

The planet was roughly the same size as Earth, so the gravity was easy to move around. The sky was a strange shade of rust with a red sun hanging high and blue rings circling the planet. The ground was covered in purple grass and black rocks which made everything seem dark to Vegeta's perspective. A greenish blue ocean wasn't too far from where he landed. All in all it was quite the beautiful planet, and highly valuable on the market because of that beauty and the ocean it possessed if the scent of salt water was in fact from the ocean itself. You could never tell on some of these worlds.

Stretching his senses out Vegeta couldn’t feel any larger life forms on the planet, nothing “human” at least. He could detect a few odd “animals” nearby but that was about it. It looked like Shiveria’s crew had done a through job, that or the inhabitants could mask their ki. Vegeta was firmly leaning toward the first, as in the near 20 years under Frieza Earth was the first planet he encountered that unique ability. 

Climbing back into the attack ball Vegeta tapped the onboard screen. He needed to know more about where he was for the time being and to hopefully make contact with Bardock and Gohan. He was counting on the boy to have sensed him but with Shiveria throwing blasts everywhere there was still a possibility his stepson missed him. If Bardock had the long range sensors active he should be able to get his coordinates to the others easily enough.

After a few minutes of searching through the data banks, the prince let out a frustrated sound at the lack of information. The only thing he found was the planet’s name, Pavati, and the fact that it was ready for sale. The only useful thing he found out was that there were edible plant and animal species if he was here for longer than he planned.

Deciding on trying to locate his family before his temper got the better of him, Vegeta switched over to the pod’s limited scanner range. He was too far to sense either Bardock's or Gohan's ki, but the pod had a further range.

“Come on…come on…” Vegeta narrowed his eyes as he scanned one section of the sky at a time. Finally the display lit up as it found a ship not too far from the planet, and it took a few seconds, but it was identified as a saiyan ship.

The prince activated a homing beacon that the attack pod had in case of emergency landings, and soon a crackling came over the small speaker of the ship.

“…geta…at yo…” Static garbled the words, and the alpha cursed as he tried to clear up the signal. He was slightly unfamiliar with the new model of the attack pod, but most of the configuration was based on previous designs.

“Bardock? Can you read me?” He adjusted the frequency a little more only to get an angry shout from the other end.

“Vegeta! What the hell kind of stunt was that?!” Vegeta flinched at the loud voice that came over the communication link. “Do you have any idea how stupid that was?! Gohan could barely track you with all that ki flying around!”

The prince glared at the small computer screen that flickered to show the image of his father in law. The quality of the picture was poor, but he could see enough detail to know that the older alpha was snarling at him.

“What was I supposed to do? Give her a single target? I had to launch multiple pods. I didn’t expect the bitch to start blowing them all to pieces. I’m pretty sure she killed some of her crew.”

“How about kill her before all that nonsense happened?” Bardock snapped. “You shouldn’t have given her the chance, you idiot.”

“Vegeta, are you alright?” Gohan appeared in the screen with a worried look as Bardock crossed his arms over his chest with a growl. “I thought for a moment that she had destroyed your pod.”

“I'm fine, Gohan. I could use a ride, and news on my mate, but I'm fine.” The prince felt relief to see both saiyans. That meant that Kakarot was safe as well, and he couldn't wait to see him again. “How is Karo?”

“He's been better…” The older alpha snarled as he glared off to the side. “I managed to get the collar and tail ring off, and he woke up for a few minutes. He was so terrified that he had no idea who I was as first.” Vegeta frowned but it wasn’t anything unexpected. They were fortunate Karo came to this soon in the first place. Considering what Karo was going through when Vegeta got to him neither adult was surprised Kakarot was scared out of his mind.

“I've got your location in the sensors.” Bardock sounded a bit calmer for the moment. “We should be there within the hour. Don't do anything stupid again. I'd hate to tell Kakarot that you were too much of an idiot to keep himself in one piece.”

“There is nothing on this planet but me and some animals, what the hell could I possibly get up to down here?” Vegeta snapped irritated.

“I’m not even going to answer that.” Bardock growled in exasperation. “Seriously, wait by your ship, take a nap for all I care, just don’t get yourself killed.” With that communications were cut off.

Vegeta growled but decided a nap actually didn’t sound all that bad and decided to stretch out in front of the pod and enjoy the warmth of the sun. ‘Maybe we can wait here a day or two for Kakarot. He loves the outdoors and this sun would probably make him feel ten times better after all that time in space.’ Vegeta bolted up from his position as a large ki assaulted his senses.

“Damn it! How did that Bitch get here? I’ve got to warn Bardock.” The pod exploded in a blinding flash of light on that sent the prince flying from his spot. He looked up with a snarl on his face as Shiveria descended from the sky. 

“You made it so hard to find you, princeling. If I didn't see your pod going off in a different direction from the others, I never would have tracked you down.” The woman gave the saiyan a cold smile as she landed. “Now, we can pick up on where we left off.” 

“You mean the part where I was about to finish you off, bitch?” Vegeta asked as his eyes glanced over at the wreckage of his ship. His upper lip curled up to reveal a flash of one of his fangs. “If that's the case, then let's do that. I can put you back under my boot where you belong.”

Shiveria giggled as she watched the alpha drop into a stance. She still looked injured from her previous battles, but they didn't seem to be bothering her anymore. Vegeta couldn't stop the flicker of confusion that ran over his face, and the frost demon giggled harder when she saw it.

“Oh, my dear Vegeta…if you think you have the upper hand here now that we are on a planet, you are sorely mistaken. The only reason you were able to gain the upper hand on me earlier was because I didn't want my ship damaged anymore than it had to be, so I only used a fraction of my real power. Unfortunately, thanks to you and your fellow chimps, my ship is nothing but scrap metal.” Shiveria's voice went from playful to a sneer in seconds. “However, now I don't have to hold back anymore.”

“Funny I was thinking the same thing.” Vegeta smirked flaring his power as high as he could. He just hoped Gohan understood or that he killed this bitch before they got here. The last place he wanted Kakarot was anywhere near this damn planet. The ground cracked beneath them as both of their powers rose rapidly. Vegeta blurred hitting hard enough to leave shockwaves as Shiveria blocked his strikes. The serene landscape quickly changed to that of a battle torn waste as both Vegeta and the Ice Demon clashed with their fists and energy.

Shiveria shrieked in rage forming a cracking black and blue ball of energy and hurled it at he adversary intent on incinerating him. The saiyan prince countered with his own brilliant flash of fuchsia light and detonated it with his galick gun. He vanished and appeared to the side of Shiveria and slammed his fist into her jaw hard enough to crack it before he hit her a second and a third time before she countered and grabbed his wrist with her long tail and swung Vegeta around only to plant her knee in his stomach and lit into him with another volley of blows.

The saiyan gritted his teeth as he was beaten like a punching bag, but he used the hand still being held by Shiveria's tail to send a ki blast that forced her to let him go. Not wanting to loose the advantage he got, Vegeta rushed at the woman and with a powerful two footed kick, sent her flying until she crashed into a rocky hill.

His teal eyes watched the cliff he threw his opponent in, and they widened as the ground started to shake under his feet. Bright light shined through cracks in the rock for a few seconds then the entire cliff exploded in a shower of pebbles as Shiveria let out a war cry. 

“Ugh…looks like the bitch wasn't all talk.” He muttered as he panted. Before he could even prepare himself, the frost demon was on him once again. He awkwardly blocked an elbow to the face with his forearm, and the force of the strike rattled the prince’s bones. 

Vegeta brought up his knee to catch the woman off guard, but Shiveria blocked it with her hand. Both fighters struggled with the other, but neither one was making any progress. The female brought her tail up try and choke the saiyan, but at the last second, Vegeta brought his other arm up to grip the muscular limb in his other hand.

Teal and purple eyes glared at one another and energy flared around the pair in their deadlock. The two auras had rocks floating around the two as their kis climbed higher to overpower the other.

Shiveria’s face twisted into a smirk before one of her legs struck out and nailed Vegeta in the sternum. His face morphed into a mix of shock and pain as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Feeling his resistance crumble, the woman spun on her heel to kick the saiyan in the ribs. 

His body bounced on the ground a few times until he smashed into a boulder head first making it break apart. He lay there groaning for a moment as he tried to stop the ringing in his ears. He opened his eyes and had to blink the blood out of them that ran from a deep cut just above his left eye.

“Oh, come on. I didn't hit you that hard.” Shiveria's voice came from at the saiyan's feet. The tone was patronizing, and it made Vegeta snarl. “A big, strong prince like you should be able to shake that off with no effort. Or is Goku really that much stronger than you?” The saiyan growled as he glared at the frost demon.

“Did I touch a nerve?” She smirked. “Goku took ten times the beating you did before I made him beg me to spare you and his oh so precious cubs.” The prince froze feeling his blood begin to boil. “I flayed his back to the bone before he screamed. I wonder, what went through that head of his when he realized that was the last sound he ever made?”

“What are you talking about?” Vegeta snarled. Shiveria giggled amused with an expression of glee.

“You haven’t noticed? Or was my pet even conscious when you to found him? Chirb is rather rough on his partners. But no, I got tired of his constant growling and back talk so I got rid of it; after all pets can’t talk back to their masters can they? I think the best part was the look on his face when he realized what I had Oaklio do.”

Vegeta’s mind flashed back to their dream, how Kakarot’s hand went to his throat in surprise for that one moment. She was telling the truth.

The saiyan roared in fury as he brought his hand up and fired a ki blast then phased out of view. Shiveria redirected the energy, but she let out a gasp as a foot struck her in the back of the head. 

The attack forced her to her hands and knees, and Vegeta was quick to drop down so his feet landed on her back making a crater form around the two.

“I’ll litter your ashes through the cosmos!” He snarled jumping back into the air as gold light intensified around him and gathered into his hands. The sky darkened over the saiyan as his blazing eyes locked into the frost demon that was slowly getting to her feet.

The golden aura started to spark and energy bolts flared across the ground scorching the vegetation. The arcs of energy gouged deep furrows and they appeared more frequently as the saiyan concentrated on gathering more ki.

“Do you think your little light show worries me?” Shiveria asked as she watched the alpha struggle to contain the energy trying to escape through his fingers. “It's pretty fireworks, but nothing much else.”

Vegeta's body strained with the ki he was gathering and condensing, and he thrust his arms forward with his hands cupped. An orb shining with the intensity of the sun was steadily growing in the palms of his hands. The ground under him buckled from the pressure his energy gave off, and the rubble floated up in the air.

“Oh, it's more than a pretty light show.” Vegeta smirked as the orb in his hands grew brighter and shone like a star. Once he felt he had enough energy for the attack, the ki flickered in his hands as it swelled to the point where he could barely hold it. “Let me show you! Final Flash!”

With a shout the ki launched forward with enough force to push Vegeta back a couple of feet. The yellow ki incinerated everything in its path as it rushed to Shiveria who now had a look of complete shock and slight fear. 

The woman covered her head with her arms as her body was enveloped by the attack, and the ki just kept going until it escaped the planet’s atmosphere. As Vegeta watched his attack destroy everything it touched, he hoped that Bardock and Gohan weren't in the line of fire, but he figured that the half saiyan could feel the large amount of energy before it got to them.

Panting the alpha dropped to the ground and released his transformation. Final Flash didn’t tire him near as much as it used to but there was a reason it was a finisher; wasn’t meant to be fired off multiple times. Sound echoed off the nearby rocks as rubble shifted and settled through out the remnants of the blast zone as the scent of ozone filled Vegeta’s nose. 

The saiyan froze feeling a stirring of energy. Horror filled him as he turned to see Shiveria climbing out of the surrounding wreckage. ‘How the hell did she survive that?!’ He screamed in his mind as his blood ran cold.

Shiveria hissed in pain and rage, one of her arms hanging limp at her side bloody and mangled. The long whip-like tail was gone and her former appearance was bloody and burnt. Her eyes racked over her body taking in all the damage, and her teeth gritted in rage at the sight of her body.

“What have you done to me?!” The woman snarled as she glared at Vegeta. “How dare you, you stupid ape! I’ll rip the flesh from your bones for this insult!”

Shiveria took a deep breath to calm herself, and her body released all the tension she had coiled in her muscles. She brought her unharmed hand up to push her singed bangs out of her face.

“While I hate to admit that Frieza and I had anything in common, there was one thing neither of us could deny.” Her purple ki flared into life around her body as she narrowed her eyes at the saiyan. She smirked coldly as she watched him struggle to remain standing. “We never stayed in anything other than our base form longer than we needed to kill annoying vermin like you.”

Vegeta widened his eyes as Shiveria screamed. The energy around her pushed the prince back, and he had to cover his face to protect it from the bright light and debris that was flung away from the frost demon. The ki he felt quadrupled in size as the light blinded him.

The screaming stopped as the ki exploded one last time sending Vegeta skidding back a few yards. He slowly lowered his arms only to gasp at the enormous amount of energy the slender shadow in that swirling ball of light produced.

“Unlike that inferior mutant, I don't like to drag out playing with my prey by making them think they have a chance against me. It's nothing but a waste of time.” The frost demon’s voice was slightly deeper but still very feminine. “In my opinion, that's what caused his demise in the first place.”

Vegeta could feel himself trembling as the light finally died down, and he felt like a cub being in front of Frieza for the first time again. 

Shiveria's body was now a sky blue color with three thin navy blue striped coming from over her shoulders to end in a v just above her bust. Her hair was now silver and once again back in its braid that was laying over her right shoulder. White lips stretched in a nasty smile as she watched the saiyan stare at her.

Her entire body had been healed from the damage that Bardock and Vegeta inflected on her, and her now thicker tail was swaying behind her. She shifted her body as one hand played with the end of her braid while she spoke to the prince.

“Vegeta, I offered you a chance to be with your mate while alive…but after that last little temper tantrum, I've decided to just kill you. It's a pity though. You are very nice to look at for a monkey. I’ll be sure to give Goku your regards before I break him in every way I can.” She hissed as a massive black ball of energy blossomed from her hand. “Don’t worry though, I doubt you’ll be lonely in the afterlife; the rest of your miserable flea bitten race will join you shortly.”

Vegeta blinked as the massive attack suddenly compressed itself and shot at him with blinding speed, slamming into him. Vegeta screamed from the hauntingly familiar pain as the attack blasted through his body. Shiveria’s hand locked around his throat silencing his scream before she spun slamming him head first into the ground. The sick gleam of joy in her eyes before she used the same attack she did on Bardock made the prince flash back to his childhood.

She eventually let him go and he coughed, choking to get enough air and spit up the blood from his injuries. He screamed as her tail tangled with his own and squeezed the whole length twisting it. All the training in the world wouldn’t protect the tender limb from that kind of assault as he writhed in pain.

“That’s right, monkey!” Shiveria shouted. “Scream! Scream until your lungs give out and your heart explodes!” She was playing with him. She swung him by his tail, throwing him against as many surfaces as she could before he was sent flying hard enough to slam into the remains of a rock wall.

The saiyan prince couldn’t move as the ice demon casually walked towards him. Squinting against the blood in his eyes, Vegeta glared at her with pure hatred.

“You have that same stubborn streak, those same defiant eyes.” Shiveria hissed before a thoughtful smile crossed her face before she kicked Vegeta onto his stomach. “I wonder…how many lashes can you take before I kill you? I’m curious to see if it will come close to what Goku can stand when punish him for causing all of this.”

“You bit-AH!” Her tail struck like a blade carving through his armor into his back. The protective barrier crumbled and splintered under the force of her lashes. Once the armor lay in pieces, Shiveria used her tail to haul the saiyan up by his throat. 

“Hmmm.” The woman hummed as she turned Vegeta around to face her. “I've marked Goku's back, but I think I want to do something different with you.” Her violet eyes roamed over the compact body with a thoughtful look before they lit up with sadistic glee.

The next thing the prince knew, the upper portion of his body suit had been ripped off. The sudden breeze across his skin had him twitching as he tried to bring his still gloved hands up to pry that tail from around his neck.

“Let's see if I can carve your heart out while you're still breathing.” The woman brought a hand up with purple ki glowing from each fingertip, and she just barley grazed the skin that covered Vegeta's right pec. Blood streamed down from the shallow marks, and the saiyan gritted his teeth against the pain.

Shiveria brought her hand up to rake her fingers down the left side of Vegeta's rib cage feeling each bone as she slowly moved her hand around to stop at the abdominal muscles, and the alpha lost his battle to keep silent. This continued for some time with Shiveria using various pressures that resulted from shallow cuts to deep gouges in the saiyan's flesh.

“Your screaming is nice, but your mate’s are better. I wonder if that's due to you being an alpha…” The frost demon remarked as her ki covered fingers sliced the skin over the man’s collarbone. “I'll have to try this with Goku when I get him back. I wonder how much he'll be able to take.”

When she pulled her hand back, Vegeta slumped in her hold as he weakly panted. There wasn't a spot on him that didn't scream in agony as he tried to keep from falling unconscious. His eyes opened into slits as he glared at Shiveria.

“Well, this has been fun, but now it's time for you to die, Vegeta. You should know that nothing is going to stop me from taking my pet back, and you never once had a chance.” Her hand came up so that it was even with her face, and the ki glowed brighter as she leveled it with Vegeta's heart. “Goodnight, sweet prince.”

+++VK+++

“Uncle Tarble, can't we go play outside?” Goten asked looking out the window to the garden.

"Finish your lesson first, Goten." Tarble said from where he sat reading his own book. The cub sighed and looked back at his own book before glancing jealously at Trunks who was playing with Gito having finished his work.

‘Why do I have to take all the extra lessons just because Lady Tarro talked to me?’ He wondered. ‘She hasn't said anything to me since that night and this is boring.’ With a sigh he rested his chin in his hands and kept studying the old language of the saiyans. Goten blinked as the words on the page blurred and faded away and he was on a different world watching his daddy fight.

Vegeta's body strained with the ki he was gathering and condensing, and he thrust his arms forward with his hands cupped. An orb shining with the intensity of the sun was steadily growing in the palms of his hands. The ground under him buckled from the pressure his energy gave off, and the rubble floated up in the air.

“Oh, it's more than a pretty light show.” Vegeta smirked as the orb in his hands grew brighter and shone like a star. “Let me show you! Final Flash!”

Trunks looked up from where he was trying to show Gito how to build with blocks. Goten hadn't sighed or changed pages in over 10 minutes. He was confused when he saw his best friend staring blindly into space. That was when he noticed the trembling.

“Uncle Tarble?”

 

“Yes, Trunks?” The beta asked not looking up from his book.

 

"Something's wrong with Goten." The beta immediately dropped his book and went over to the chibi. Goten was shaking harder now, a ring of silver light forming in his pupil as he stared unseeing at his Uncle.

"Mahana?" His fears grew as the small cub's face took on a look of terror.

“That’s right monkey!” Shiveria shouted. “Scream! Scream until your lungs give out and your heart explodes!” She swung him by his tail, throwing him against as many surfaces as she could before he was sent flying hard enough to slam into the remains of a rock wall.

"Stop!" The cub screamed out curling in on himself. "Stop hurting him! Stop it!" Tarble grabbed the cub before he fell out of his chair. The cub's ki began to spike and whip wildly around the room. “Leave daddy alone!”

"Goten, what's wrong?!" Tarble said trying to calm the cub. Trunks pulled Gito into his lap as the infant whimpered from Goten's outburst. The small Demi saiyan didn't hear anything Tarble said as he shook his head.

Shiveria brought her hand up to rake her fingers down the left side of Vegeta's rib cage feeling each bone as she slowly moved her hand around to stop at the abdominal muscles, and the alpha lost his battle to keep silent.

“Make it stop!” He screamed trying to block out his daddy's screaming.

Suddenly it was gone as the cub gasped for air. Panicked dark tear filled eyes darted around the room confused before he bolted towards the door and ran down the hall. 

"Goten!"

The small cub ran as fast as he could down the hall uncaring as he ran into his uncle Raditz and just kept going until he shouldered open the door to the shrine. He stumbled as another vision of his father flashed before his eyes again.

Vegeta slumped in her hold as he weakly panted. His eyes opened into slits as he glared at Shiveria.

“Well, this has been fun, but now it's time for you to die, Vegeta.”

‘Daddy....’ He couldn’t lose his daddy too.

"NO!" He screamed as his lotus mark blazed to life with a silver light under his gi. Goten dropped to his knees and placed his forehead to the ground in front of the shrine, unaware of the silver aura surrounding him.

‘Please...please don't let my daddy die. Please Lady Tarro, don't let her win.’ He prayed with his eyes clenched and tears running down his face. ‘Please you told me they would all come home! Please Lady Tarro!’

Tarble and Raditz entered the shrine panting and stared in shock at their nephew. Sushi, Trunks and Vegito followed only a moment later.

“Whoa, that’s amazing.” Trunks whispered in awe. “What’s happening, Uncle Tarble?”

“He's-he's calling on Lady Tarro.” Tarble said in awe as the goddess's power filled the room. Raditz blinked a moment before he shut the doors behind them and locked them.

"We can't let anyone see this." He said as Tarble nodded. Until Kakarot and Vegeta were home no one could know Goten was a saibai-sha. The council, everyone in fact, would do everything they could to control him. K. Vegeta had agreed and they made sure to keep Goten’s mark a secret. Vegito cooed and pointed at the display of power.

“What do we do?” Raditz asked the beta.

“We wait.” Tarble said as he took a kneeling position. “If the goddess saw fit to bestow her power on him nothing we do will snap him out of it.”

“I’ll contact Father and try to find out what is going on.” Raditz confirmed with a nod. “Trunks, can you and Sushi guard the doors? Don’t let anyone in here except me or your grandfather understand?”

“Got it!” He said handing his Uncle his little brother before he locked the doors behind his uncle and settled beside Tarble. Seeing the powerful energy pulse through his closest friend sent a wave of worry through the pale cub. “Is Goten going to be ok?”

“I hope so.” Tarble confided. “I hope they’re all ok.”


	46. Chapter 46

“Well, this has been fun, but now it's time for you to die, Vegeta. You should know that nothing is going to stop me from taking my pet back, and you never once had a chance.” Her hand came up so that it was even with her face, and the ki glowed brighter as she leveled it with Vegeta's heart. “Goodnight, sweet prince.”

A large weight of hopelessness settled over his shoulders at the fact that he couldn't keep this monster from taking his mate again.

‘Karo…I'm sorry.’ His eyes were stinging from the tears trying to escape. ‘Forgive me.’

“Vegeta…don't give up.”

A soft voice echoed in his head, and the prince blinked in surprise. As Shiveria's hand came within an inch of his heart, blinding silver light erupted from the wounded saiyan while the moon overhead shone brilliantly. Shiveria screamed releasing her prey as the blinding light consumed Vegeta.

When the prince opened his eyes, he was standing in a field of silvery flowers under a night sky. Overhead the moon shone full and luminous, but he felt no surge of power to make him transform. If anything he felt calm and at peace under its rays.

“Where…where am I?”

“This is my domain, my child.” Vegeta turned to see a petite slender woman, her tail free and loose behind her as she stood before him in the old robes of their people. Silver lotuses were woven into her hair and a silver crescent moon pendant sparkled under the moon’s light. Vegeta knew with every fiber of his being who this woman was and knelt before her.

“Lady Tarro…”

“Rise, Vegeta, my children need not bow to me.” She said tenderly as she pulled him to his feet. Up close the prince was shocked that this slip of a woman barely reached his shoulder.

“I died, didn’t I.” Vegeta stated, his tail limp as his eyes watered. “I failed my mate and my children.”

“Not yet.” The sullen prince looked at her in shock. “I will not allow this demon to win. Not with so many prayers offered, not with your son, my speaker, begging me otherwise. I can not intervene directly, so I leave it to you to end this in my place.”

“My lady….” Vegeta winced and looked away in shame. “I’m not strong enough. She took my strongest attack head on, and I couldn’t kill her.” Her slim hand grasped his cheek and it felt like he was with his tama again nearly drawing tears from the alpha.

“You have all the strength you need, my prince, what you need is faith.”

“Faith? But I-”

“Not in myself or the gods,” Tarro explained. “Faith in yourself. Let go of your fears of failing your mate and family. You are more than strong enough to protect them if you have that. You and Kakarot, you made me believe in my children again. You have both changed so much for the better but you are so afraid of yourselves. If you let go of that fear, Vegeta, nothing will ever be able to stand in your way.”

“You mean…fight with my feelings?” Vegeta said confused as he recalled the phrase Kakarot had used with his son. “I already use them, how is that supposed to help me?”

“What I mean is let go of the fear and hate you use as your driving force. Use your desire to protect as your source of strength.” Tarro smiled as the baffled look on the saiyan's face. “This is what Kakarot does when he fights, but I can see that you are capable of doing the same. Trust yourself, Vegeta, and you will find the meaning of true strength.”

A picture of a pregnant Kakarot sleeping with Trunks and Goten in his arms flashed in his mind. This sweet image was followed with more.

Vegito's soft coos as he reached for his father's tail as they played that first night.

Goten smiling up at him with tears on his face and a stuffed dragon in his arms.

Trunks walking around, exploring his old bed chambers in the palace.

Kakarot stretched out beside him in their bed sleeping without a care in the world.

The cubs rolling in the flowers of the garden before they pounced on their slumbering pet and began chasing Sushi through the gardens laughing.

Tarble and Gohan standing behind Kakarot with an arm wrapped around each other as Raditz tried to pry Sushi off one of his hip guards with Bardock on the ground laughing. His mate looking over at him with a happy smile as he held Vegito as the other cubs waved at him on either side of Karo. 

Tarro watched the prince with approval as a small smile grew on his face as his memories continued to flash in his mind. Vegeta's body started to glow golden and the goddess closed her eyes as she raised her hands. The alpha didn't notice the world around him vanishing once again as power erupted from his form.

“What?!” Shiveria shouted in rage as wind and light forced her to shade her eyes. “No! He was as good as dead! Where did he get this power?!”

Vegeta shouted as his power climbed higher than he had ever felt before, and in his voice, the frost demon could hear the undertones of a beastly roar. The roar slowly grew until it covered the prince’s yelling, and Shiveria could just make out the shadowy form of the saiyan.

Before she could see anything else, the light burst again with an earthshaking force. Vegeta's roar died out with the light, and Shiveria had to dig herself out of the hole her body made as it was flung further from the saiyan.

Her eyes widened as her mouth opened in a gasp as she took in Vegeta, and even without ki sensing abilities, the woman could practically feel the power coming from her opponent.

Vegeta's muscle mass had grown dramatically, but he still looked lithe despite his new size. Golden fur covered his upper body save for his pecs, the first couple sets of abdominal muscles, neck, and face. His tail was now golden as well and it swayed behind him. His hands were covered with his gloves, and his lower part of his body suit was once again in one piece as were his boots, but the pants had changed from blue to black. His hair had become a mane of gold that fell in its flame like shape with spikes falling down to cover his shoulder blades. 

The tips of sharp and larger elongated canine teeth could be seen as Vegeta's upper lip was slightly curled up in a snarl. The saiyan's eyes were closed to show silver riming them with silver covering his upper eyelids. They slowly opened to reveal solid silver eyes staring at Shiveria impassively before looking down at his body to take in the new transformation.

He flexed his hands and marveled at the sheer power in them, like he could move worlds on a whim. His power caressed his skin pulsing outward around him, and beneath it all he could feel Tarro’s touch still.

“Slay this demon, my child.” Tarro’s voice whispered in his mind. “I want her blood!”

“Where the hell did all this power come from, monkey?! Do you think its actually going to help you? You’re still going die!” Shiveria screamed powering up another energy attack.

The ki flew right at Vegeta, but he just batted it away with the back of his fist sending the energy into a distant cliff side. The ease of which startled both the frost demon and the saiyan, but he didn't allow his surprise to show on his face.

“You're finished.” Vegeta snarled as he flew to the woman with his hand cocked back. His fist hit her on the cheek distorting her face for a few seconds before it sent her flying into the large body of water not too far from their battle with the prince following close behind her.

The speed at which Shiveria's body traveled caused the water to part on either side of her until she was able to right herself in the air, and she was forced to block a kick that was aimed for her ribs. The amount of strength behind the blow knocked her down into the water with a large splash. 

Shiveria launched from the water with an enraged scream as she lunged for Vegeta’s head with electricity crackling around her hands. Vegeta marveled as he felt like he was watching her move in slow motion, merely tilting his head to the side and shifting to avoid her onslaught. His face was impassive as his fist slammed into the she demon’s gut and threw her to the ground with a single blow, feeling her ribs crack and shatter.

Shiveria let out a bloody cough as the impact jarred her body. She pushed herself onto her hands and knees and coughed a couple globs of purple blood until she just stopped and panted from the effort of trying to get air back in her body.

Vegeta watched her with his arms crossed over his chest as he floated down to land on the ground a few feet from Shiveria. He calmly walked up to her and kicked her in the side making the frost demon scream as she got embedded into a rock wall.

Stumbling free she lunged at the saiyan prince with a snarl. Vegeta didn’t bat an eyelash as he backhanded her hard enough to send her to the ground. His hand clamped down on her tail as she tried to spear him with a vice grip drawing a scream from the she demon before he drug her up and planted his fist in her stomach again before slamming her into the ground a few times. He released her tail and watched emotionlessly as Shiveria hacked up blood trying to breathe.

Bardock's ship appeared in the sky and slowly lowered itself to the ground at a relatively safe distance from the fight. The prince’s sliver eyes flickered over to the ship for a second before looking back down at the woman at his feet.

Her eyes also caught sight of the saiyan ship, and a smirk grew over her face. Shiveria knew she couldn't fight off this saiyan any more, but there was one last thing she could do to spit in his face before she died.

“If I can't have Goku, no one can!” With the last bit of ki she had left, Shiveria fired off a massive blast towards the ship. Vegeta snarled and blurred away before appearing in front of the blast and split it apart with his hands as it exploded around him harmlessly. Cold calculating silver orbs locked on the demon as he gathered jade energy that shown with the intensity of a star.

“This is the end. Give my regards to Frieza when you see him in Hell! Final Shine Attack!” He extended his hand as the power burst from his palm. Jade and forest green energy rushed at Shiveria who remained frozen with a look of horror on her face. As soon as the power hit her, she let out a pain filled scream.

The ki enveloped her making a shadow of her body appear in the energy that slowly disintegrated as ki rushed past her, taking the molecules that made up the frost demon with it.

Vegeta's hand remained extended with it spread wide open even when his Final Shine was done. Looking around him, the prince searched for any traces of the woman before he found that he had complete obliterated her from existence.

The flicker of Kakarot's ki stole his attention, and he turned to head to the ship. Bardock and Gohan had just gotten off the vessel and we're looking at him in shock as they took in the transformation his body went under during the battle.

“Vegeta?” Gohan asked taking in the new transformation. “What happened?”

“Lady Tarro.” Vegeta answered as he walked towards his father in law and son. “She…wanted me to kill Shiveria. I had no issue doing so.”

“I swear, Vegeta, if you ever do something that stupid….”

“I did exactly as you said, Bardock.” Vegeta snarled back. “I was taking a damn nap when that bitch showed up and destroyed my pod.”

“Umm, are you going to power down now?” Gohan asked hoping he would distract the two alphas.

“I can’t”

“What do you mean you can’t!?” Bardock shouted.

“I’m trying but its not going down.” Vegeta said looking at his hands. “I’m not even trying to hold onto the transformation.”

“You said Lady Tarro had a hand in this?” Bardock asked as a thoughtful look crossed his face when Vegeta nodded.

“She appeared in a vision when Shiveria tried to finish me off. That’s when this power erupted out of nowhere.”

“Maybe we just have to wait for it to go away?” Gohan suggested. “All our other transformations have been based on our own power. If this was boosted by a goddess-”

“Then it will last until she decides to turn it off.” Bardock finished following Gohan’s logic. Vegeta nodded as his tail swayed behind him and he walked toward the ship.

“Are you crazy!? Your output could blow the ship!” Bardock snapped.

“We aren’t going anywhere until it fades. I highly doubt Tarro would bestow this only for it to hurt Kakarot.” Vegeta barked back impassively. “I’m going to see my mate. If you don’t like it, I’ll knock your ass out and leave you outside.”

Vegeta found Kakarot curled up in his bed clinging to the pillow his face was partly buried in. It was such a nostalgic moment for Vegeta, reminding him of his stupid endeavor of sneaking into Kakarot’s bedroom as he sat on the bed and gently touched Karo’s face. The beta whined softly until Vegeta leaned over and brushed his lips across Kakarot’s forehead. Dark eyes opened before the beta jerked away from Vegeta breathing quickly and pressed against the wall. For once the prince let him, knowing he needed to be gentle with Karo.

“It’s alright, Karo. It’s just me.” Distrust remained in Goku’s eyes before he caught a strong, gentle pulse of Vegeta’s ki and scent. Tears filled the beta’s dark eyes as his lips soundlessly whispered his mate’s name. Hesitantly his hand reached out and brushed his alpha’s face.

“I’m really here, Karo.” Vegeta said gently placing his own hand over his mate’s. That was all it took for the beta to curl into his alpha’s side as he cried in relief. Vegeta purred and wrapped himself around Goku trying to help his mate feel safe and loved. When he nuzzled their mark Vegeta looked down when Kakarot stiffened and whined before sobbing with closed eyes. The prince could see the shame his mate felt as clear as if Karo had told him. With tender hands, he guided the beta’s face up to meet his gaze.

“It wasn’t your fault, Karo.” He soothed. “I’m not angry. You fought him so hard, love. He didn’t get to do more, Karo. I made sure of that.” Goku’s fingers tightened around the silken fur in his fingers with a soft whine as he bared his neck to the dominant, instinctively showing his submission. Tear filled eyes looked up pleading desperately for his mate to still want him after letting another tamper with his mark. Vegeta wouldn’t make Kakarot worry any longer as he placed a soft kiss on his mark before giving it a gentle nip as he purred and nuzzled against the beta’s face when he felt Kakarot’s utter relief.

They ended up spooned together with Goku tucked safely in his mate’s arms resting against Vegeta’s chest. His fingers brushed through the silken fur on his mate while Vegeta purred and simply held him, careful of the now slightly less swollen tail. Feeling Goku was content as he could be Vegeta decided now was a good time to talk.

“Karo….I know about your voice.” As much as it hurt to say, the flinch from his mate and the miserable whine that followed it hurt more. He purred louder and nuzzled the mark on the submissive's shoulder tenderly as he smelled Kakarot’s tears begin. “I promise, I will find a way to give it back to you. Gohan found their data on you, if what they did was in there we can fix it.” Slowly, as though he was afraid Vegeta would be upset, Goku rubbed his head under his alpha’s chin with a low whine telling Vegeta he understood. They cuddled a moment more before Goku shifted just enough to look up at Vegeta. His eyes kept flickering over the alpha’s body before he gently touched part of Vegeta’s mane.

“Oh this….” He glanced back down at himself. “I…I almost failed, Karo. That demon almost killed me. Then Tarro appeared, she helped me save you. She showed me how to get the power I needed and when the light cleared this was what I had become. You were that power, Karo.” He said as his purr vibrated through Karo’s body. “My desire to protect you and the cubs, our family gave me this.” The beta gave a shy smile as he pet Vegeta’s fur again.

“I actually don’t mind the fur so much myself, I’m just glad its only up top.”

The submissive silently let out a small giggle as he turned his whole body around to face the alpha. Goku leaned over to rub his cheek against the warm fur with a sigh. He just couldn't bring himself to stop touching it.

Vegeta watched the younger male with an amused glint in his eye. He hadn't seen Kakarot like this since he was pregnant and in his nest. It was endearing to watch that bliss covered face as it snuggled deeper in his fur.

“I hope you enjoy this while you can, Karo. I'm not sure I can do this again after Lady Tarro withdraws her influence.” The prince said after he placed a kiss on the top of the other’s head. He snickered at the confusion on the beta's face as he pulled back. “I'm not holding onto the transformation, and I can't power down yet so we can't leave until I do.”

Concern flickered over Goku's face as he looked over his alpha’s body again. As much as he liked the soft fur and the additional comfort it added, he wasn't sure if he would like Vegeta to be this way all the time.

“Don't worry about it. I'm sure the Lady will allow me to power down in the next few days or so. In the meantime,” the prince smiled softly to the other, “Why don't we look around the planet we are on? I'm sure you would like to be under a sky after being trapped on a tin can for so long.”

The prince laughed as Kakarot sat straight up with a look of excitement on his face, and he nodded when a questioning whine came from the beta. A beaming smile grew on his face before it twisted in pain.

“Karo?” Vegeta propped himself up on one elbow as he reached out with his other arm. “What's wrong?”

The submissive looked at the prince with tear filled eyes then looked over his shoulder at his kinked and swollen tail. A spasm made its owner whimper again as pain flared up his spine. A gloved hand hovered over the broken limb unsure how he could help, and Goku reached out to hold on to Vegeta's free arm as he waited for the twitching and pain to stop.

Vegeta’s worry over his mate made up his mind as he gathered the beta into his arms and stood. Goku whined and pushed at Vegeta’s chest weakly in protest.

“I'm still going to take the two of us outside, Karo,” Vegeta purred ignoring the beta, “but I think we should make sure you're ok first.” Goku shook his head and gave a firm look at his mate. Silver eyes softened a bit before he kissed Kakarot’s head. “You're covered in bruises, love, I know you're hurting more than you're letting on. I just want to know you’ll be alright.”

Goku relented but pointed at the floor. Vegeta chuckled and held his mate a little tighter.

“I'm not ready to let go of you just yet, Karo.” He said with a smirk. “I want you in my arms and nowhere else right now.” Goku blushed a faint pink and looked away before he rubbed his face in Vegeta’s silken fur to hide his embarrassment.

They entered the medical bay and found Bardock and Gohan sifting through data on the computer. Gohan looked up as the door slid closed behind them.

“Dad!” He hugged his father as Vegeta set him on a bed, not minding the slight flinch as the beta hugged him back. They clung to each other for a moment before Goku pulled away. He gave his son a small smile and hugged Bardock next, rubbing his cheek against his sire’s.

“We need to see what injuries Karo has. I want to be sure there’s nothing we’re missing.” Vegeta said sitting beside the beta and letting him lean against his body.

“Can you tell us where you hurt the most, Dad?” Gohan asked. Goku immediately flinched and his eyes were downcast.

“What’s wrong?” Gohan asked concerned.

“It’s complicated, Gohan.” Vegeta said pulling the visibly upset beta into his arms. “How much have you read of those files?”

“Not much.” Bardock confessed. “We’ve been trying to sort them out and find the most recent ones.” Goku whined at that and looked firmly at the floor with tears in his eyes.

“Karo, can’t tell us.” Vegeta said softly. Bardock’s eyes widened as the realization clicked in his mind. His own eyes softened as he growled looking away.

“Why not?” the teen asked not understanding his grandfather’s frustration.

“She took his voice, Gohan.” Vegeta said after a moment before he nuzzled Goku’s mark trying to comfort the younger male. Gohan’s eyes filled with tears.

“We’re going to fix this, Kakarot.” Bardock’s voice was harsh. “I wish I could kill the bastard who helped her.”

“Vegeta did.” Gohan responded, angrily wiping away his tears. “He was right, the bastard was lucky it was so quick.” Goku couldn’t help the shiver that came remembering the goat and leaned into Vegeta’s fur for comfort. He didn’t want to know the details, but he was glad the goat was dead.

“Vegeta, I need you to move.” Bardock said holding out a tablet. “I’m going to scan you for injuries, Kakarot. It should show us exactly what is wrong with your tail and voice. We’re going to have to wait until we get home to deal with them, but we can contact the doctors to let them know.”

Vegeta snarled as the list of injuries began appearing on the small screen. A bruised and cracked jaw, cracked ribs, his neck vertebrae were cracked, deep scaring that extended into the muscles on his back, muscle weakness, malnutrition and vitamin D deficiency, numerous cuts and bruising, and slightly unstable ki. The scanner wasn’t able to identify the exact injuries the limb endured due to the inflammation and swelling present. All the alphas could tell was that it had several nasty breaks that either healed badly or weren’t healed at all. As for his throat, the scanner wasn’t showing any severe damage other than the vocal cords being paralyzed.

Goku shifted nervously as his family grew angry at the list of injuries. He shivered when the cold air of the room got to him. Vegeta immediately noticed and draped a blanket around his mate almost purring at the grateful smile Goku gave him.

“Gohan, why don’t you go get your dad a change of clothes and something he can eat.” Bardock suggested wanting to get his son out of the slutty pants Shiveria made him wear. He felt bad suggesting it when his son blushed and pulled the blanket closer in embarrassment.

“It’s ok, Karo.” Vegeta soothed. “You don't need to worry about that anymore.”

As soon as the teen was out of the room, Bardock looked at his son with an unreadable expression. He set the tablet down as he ran a hand through his hair. Vegeta cocked his head at the older man, and Bardock bit back a wince at what he was about to ask.

“Kakarot, I know this won't be easy, but I need to know.” The alpha moved so he could look the submissive in the eye. “The scans showed injuries around your pelvis. Bruises and a fractured hip…did anyone…touch you?” He couldn’t say the other word; he didn’t even want to think it after how they found him.

Vegeta couldn't hold back his growling snarl, and the noise made Goku flinch. Immediately the prince stopped the sound, but his body still trembled with the force of his rage at the thought of anyone doing something like that to his Karo.

Goku shook his head, and he relaxed once his answer made Vegeta relax behind him. He took ahold of one of his mate’s arms to hold it tight to his chest as he shifted to get closer to the dominant keeping the blanket around him.

“Good…that's good.” Bardock's tone held relief. He looked over Goku once more and turned to the younger alpha. “I think we should get him in the healing tank. We can wrap up his tail so it doesn't heal the wrong way, but these fractures need to be taken care of as soon as possible. I don’t want them getting worse.” Vegeta nodded and looked down at Kakarot.

“Is that ok, Kakarot?” Vegeta asked not wanting to force his mate into anything. Goku tilted his head at though he was thinking about it and nodded hesitantly after a moment without releasing Vegeta’s arm.

“Vegeta, you get him, I’ll get it set up.” Vegeta was about to carry his mate but a stern glare from his beta stopped him. The prince compromised and supported his mate as they walked over to the tank. His choice obliviously was the right one as the beta nuzzled his chin with a small smile.

Goku leaned against Vegeta and stared at the opening of the tank. He placed in foot in and froze as he looked into the small chamber. He felt his muscles tense unexpectedly as sweat started to bead on his forehead.

“It's alright, Kakarot, just a few more steps.” Bardock coached wondering if the pain was too much for his son.

“It's just a few steps away.” Shiveria’s voice whispered in the back of his mind.

Vegeta released his mate when the beta whined and jerked out of his hold stumbling away from the tank breathing hard with a look of terror in his eyes.

“Kakarot!” Both alphas shouted in concern when the beta hit the wall behind them. Goku trembled with his eyes wide and whimpered in fear. It was just like the cage, just big enough to sit in and he’d be trapped until they let him out.

“Karo, it's ok,” Vegeta said calmly unsure what scared his mate. “Just relax.” He saw Goku's eyes lock onto the opening of the tank and shift to the room's door as his muscles tensed. “Look at me, don't worry about anything else alright, just look at me.” The prince said softly wanting to keep his mate from bolting. When his breathing calmed, the prince gently pulled Goku to his chest, hoping the beta's fascination with his fur would help soothe him and lowered the two of them to the floor. The younger saiyan was visibly shaking as he buried his face in his Geta’s shoulder.

“Kakarot, are you alright son?” His answer was a soft whine as he clung to his mate.

“It's just a healing tank, Karo. You've been in one before, remember?” Vegeta prompted. “On Namek?” Goku nodded after a moment.

“Are you ready to try again? We're going to be right here the whole time.” A distressed keen worried both alphas as the beta shook his head.

“Karo, I promise you'll feel better.” Vegeta said.

“You can rest until you feel better…”

The flinch shocked and worried him when Kakarot whined and frantically shook his head, both to get Shiveria’s voice out of his head and tell them no.

“Son, I promise you'll be ok. I've used them all the time, Vegeta too. It's just for a little while.” They felt their hearts break when the younger male looked up with pleading tear filled eyes begging them not to. The prince could hear his mate's heart speed up and breathe faster as the scent of fear doubled.

“Karo, please, you need this to help your injuries.” The beta whined again as his hold tightened on the prince. Vegeta could almost hear Karo begging him with the force of his look.

“Are you that afraid of the tank?” He asked finally Goku nodded burring his face in Vegeta’s chest with a whimper. The other males cursed Kakarot’s inability to tell them why.

“Alright,” Vegeta said softly, “we won't use the tank, but you're going to let your father inject healing solution into your fractures instead, alright? We can’t leave those fractures untreated.” Goku whined in fear as he weighed the two things that scared him.

“Do you still not want to use the tank?” Vegeta asked giving Goku a choice. The youngest saiyan cringed but nodded. He couldn't do it, it was too similar to the cage. He couldn't be trapped again.

“Karo!” Vegeta shouted snapping the beta out of the panic attack he didn't even notice begin. Vegeta effortlessly picked up his lover and carried him back to the bed. Kakarot whimpered and clung tightly not willing to let go.

“Hey it's ok Karo, it's ok. I promise you'll feel better soon and we can go outside. That sun will do wonders for you I bet.” Vegeta said as he talked to take Karo’s mind off things. “We'll take a few blankets and rest outside if you want.” The beta whined and nodded. He flinched as Bardock touched his neck.

“Shh, it's going to be alright, son. Just hold still for this first one especially.” Goku blinked in shock at the cool numbing sensation that took away the pain in his neck. For once the beta sat still and didn't fight to avoid needles, but he kept his eyes on Vegeta the entire time.

“There, one more and we are done.” Bardock frowned as he looked at his son that was still shaking a bit. “Kakarot, I need you to take off those…pants…” He almost spat that word out, and he wasn't surprised when the submissive stiffened looking down in embarrassment.

Thankfully, the beta didn't protest, and with the help of his mate, Goku managed to peel them off. Vegeta incinerated the offending garment with a pulse of his ki that made sparks fly in the med bay. The older alpha gave his son in law a sharp glare before injecting the last fracture with the healing solution.

Goku let out a sigh as he slumped against the prince once his father was done and Vegeta pulled the blanket up over his shoulders to keep the naked man warm and allow him some modesty. Now that he couldn't feel it anymore, he realized how much pain he was in. He gave a grateful look to his father once he had the energy to open his eyes again.

“Here, Dad.” Gohan came in with a bundle of blue cloth in one arm and a couple of sandwiches in the other. “I got you these, and made you some sandwiches since I wasn’t sure how hungry you were,” he said as he set the plate down on the bed and handed his father the clothes.

A pair of dark blue gi pants and a white kimono top was handed over, and the submissive immediately grabbed the clothes and ducked behind Vegeta to put them on. He knew he was getting strange looks from his family, but he didn't want his son to see the marks on his body, especially the ones around his hips and lower waist. He hadn’t wanted Vegeta or his father to see either.

As soon as he had clothes on again, the beta felt something inside of him relax. Goku sighed in relief, relishing in the simple fact he wasn't exposed to be leered at like a piece of meat. The soft fabric of the shirt made him feel safe. He gave the teen a beaming smile before slowly nibbling on one of the sandwiches. He didn't want to risk making himself sick with how he usually ate. That act alone concerned the alphas more than his skittishness about changing.

Just then, Goku felt his heart ache at the sight of his oldest, and he had the overwhelming desire to see his other cubs. The beta tapped Vegeta's shoulder and pointed to his son before using one hand to hold it with the palm down beside his leg.

“What do you need Karo?” He asked softly. Goku swallowed the last of his current sandwich and repeated the gesture. Gohan looked confused as well. Sighing Goku tried again, this time bringing his arms up like he was holding...

Vegeta's eyes widened in realization before he face palmed.

“I'm such an idiot. The boys are fine, Karo.” The other alphas smacked themselves too, of course he wanted to know about the cubs. The beta immediately brightened and whined softly with hope in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Karo, but they’re at home.” Vegeta said not wanting to upset the beta. “I wanted them safe from that bitch so we decided Tarble and Raditz would watch them. Gohan was going to stay as well until Goten asked him to come with us.”

Goku looked hurt, but he smiled at the other three and gave a small nod. The message was clear as he gave his alpha’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. ‘You did the right thing.’

“They missed you so much, Karo. Goten was beside himself with worry and Gito keeps having fits every so often looking for his tama.” Vegeta said sitting next to Goku. “Trunks was afraid he’d never see you again.”

“They call every other day asking if we found you.” Bardock explained putting away the medical tools. “Vegeta actually makes a half decent dad, he’s actually pretty good with the kids.” Goku pouted and looked at his father with a forced glare as he shifted up against Vegeta to curl up and finish his meal.

“Oh, Raditz called.” Gohan said almost embarrassed.

“And when were you going to tell us this?” Vegeta demanded with narrowed eyes. Gohan nervously scratched the back of his head.

“You guys were busy dealing with Dad’s injuries. Apparently they were trying to talk to us for a while, and the signal wouldn’t go through.” He explained. “I told them we got Dad and were taking care of him. He said with it being so late there he would call back in the morning with the boys.”

Goku just hummed with a smile as he sleepily snuggled into his mate, the combination of being warm, clothed, pain free, and full quickly lulling him to sleep. In just a few hours he could see his cubs, even if it was only through a video screen. That was enough for now.


	47. Chapter 47

He had no idea how long he knelt in front of the altar and whispered his pleas to the goddess. Goten opened his eyes when something tickled his nose and sat up in the middle of a field of silvery flowers.

“But I was....where am I?” The chibi said confused as he looked around for his family and the shrine. “And how'd I get here?”

“I wanted to see you, little one.” Turning around he saw the woman from before standing among the flowers.

“Lady Tarro!” He ran to the calm woman and grabbed her robe with tear filled eyes. “Please help my daddy!” She knelt and gently shushed the frantic child placing her hands on his shoulders. Goten startled as a gentle warmth filled him, like the feeling of being in his tama's arms.

“Your father is just fine, little one.” Tarro said with a warm smile. “You helped him save your tama with your prayers. The demon will never hurt them again.” The chibi smiled as tears of joy rolled down his face before he lunged forward hugging the goddess tightly.

“Thank you! Thank you so much, Lady Tarro!” Tarro just smiled and hugged the happy cub back.

“You are very welcome, little one.” Goten laughed happily as he bounced through the flowers unable to contain his joy.

“Tama and Daddy are coming home! I can’t wait to talk to them tell Tama everything that’s happened! I gotta tell him about meeting you and my birthday-”

“Goten, come here, child.” The goddess said beckoning him over as she sat in the flowers. The cub ran over and smiled up at her. “Your tama won’t get to speak to you as soon as you want to cub.” Goten instantly looked crushed as his little tail fell limp.

“But-” tears appeared in his eyes and his tail found its way into his hands. “Is-is he mad? Because I fell asleep? I didn’t mean to-” Tarro placed her finger on the cub’s lips to quiet him before he grew more upset. She gathered him to her in a hug before she settled him in her lap.

“No, cub, your tama isn’t mad at you. He missed you and your brothers very much, little one.” She explained. “Do you remember the dreams you had?” His shiver told her all she needed to know as he clutched tighter to her arms.

“Your tama is hurting right now.”

“But can’t you make him better?” Goten asked softly. Tarro smiled sadly as she ran a hand through his hair.

“I can help him, but you and your family will have to heal your tama with love and time.” Goten cocked his head in thought before he looked up at her again.

“You mean like how I got better? And Daddy?” Tarro smiled and tapped his nose.

“Exactly like that, little one. All you need to do is to love your Tama and be there for him.” Tarro stood and set Goten on his feet. “Its time for you to go, cub, your family is getting worried. Remember what I told you.”

“Are you going to talk to me more?” the cub asked before she ruffled his hair.

“Of course, little one, but more importantly you can talk to me whenever you want. You don’t have to have be in a shrine little one, I will hear you where ever you are if you call my name.”

The chibi opened his eyes and finally noticed the silver light that surrounded his body as it dimmed when he sat up on his knees. 

“Goten!” Trunks shouted as he ran over to the smaller cub. Tarble was right on his heels. The older boy wrapped his arms around the black haired cub from behind as he started to tilt back unsteadily when the silver aura vanished. “Are you alright?”

Just before he could answer, there was a knock at the door. Sushi moved to stand in front of the small group as he growled out a warning. No one moved for a few minutes feeling nervous at the silence on the other side.

“Hey, it's me.” Raditz's voice had everyone relaxing a bit. “I’ve got news.” 

Tarble gathered Vegito closer to him as he unlocked the shrine doors. The burly saiyan ducked inside and shut the doors behind him. He looked frazzled, but he had a smile on his face unlike his earlier visits.

“I just got finished talking to Gohan. They got Kakarot.”

As soon as those words were said, Goten slumped unconscious in Trunks’ arms with a tiny relieved smile on his face.

“Goten!” The little alpha cried out as he tried to adjust his grip to look at the other’s face. A panicked look grew on his face at the lack of a response. 

The adults rushed over, and Raditz picked the cub up to look him over. He felt a small trickle of fear at the thought of telling the others something was wrong with the youngest half saiyan. After a moment Raditz thanked the goddess that wouldn’t be the case.

“He's fine. The poor cub just exhausted himself.” The alpha muttered in relief as he adjusted the boy so he was curled up against his chest. “He's been channeling that power for hours and wore himself out, that's all.”

Tarble and Trunks relaxed as well. They had been worried about Goten ever since he went into the shrine, and now things were finally calming down. The lavender haired cub looked up at the older dominant.

“Tama's alright?” His voice was hesitant. “They got him back?”

“I don't know about alright.” Raditz said as he picked up the older boy with his other arm. “Gohan told me he's injured, but he's safe now and Shiveria is dead.”

“Can we talk to him and dad?” Trunks rubbed at one eye as he yawned.

“Not yet, cub. It's late. We'll contact them the first thing in the morning after you three get some rest.” Raditz said to stem the disappointment he saw in blue eyes. “Gohan said they were fixing Kakarot’s injuries when I spoke to him. I’m pretty sure your tama is going to be very tired when they finish. This way everyone is fully awake and we can talk as long as we want.”

Trunks nodded with a small smile and sleepily laid his head on his uncle’s chest. By the time they reached the bedroom all the cubs were sleeping hard. Both adults smiled softly as Goten immediately shifted to curl beside Trunks. They left the door cracked as they left when Tarble noticed a call on their screen. He hit the accept button and was surprised to see Bardock.

“Bardock? I thought you were busy did something happen?” the beta asked concerned as he beckoned Raditz over.

“No, nothing happened on our end. Kakarot’s asleep right now, and Vegeta is with him.” Tarble nodded wondering why the older alpha looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

“What’s wrong, father?” the alpha asked. “You wouldn’t be calling otherwise.”

“It’s Kakarot,” Bardock finally said a moment later as he tiredly ran his hands through his hair. “That…she demon hurt him badly, Raditz.” He spat in frustration. “I don’t want to get into the details, but you needed to know before the cubs call in the morning.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Tarble asked softly, hoping it wasn’t what he thought.

“She took his voice away.” Both adults felt sick as the words were said. “He can’t speak or anything except for whimpers and whines that we know of and the only thing we know about the problem so far is that his vocal cords are paralyzed.”

“It’s reversible, right?” Raditz asked almost frantic with worry about his baby brother. “Please say it’s reversible, Father.”

“I don’t know. Gohan took all the data that damn goat had on Kakarot, we’re hoping what we need is in there. I haven’t asked Kakarot how it happened for obvious reasons.”

“Was he….” Tarble couldn’t say the word but he was worried.

“No, thank the gods for that mercy, they didn’t do…that. He said they didn’t touch him when I asked, and Vegeta stopped the only time anything happened apparently. Ripped the bastards heart out and crushed it after pulling him off Kakarot.”

“What happened?” Raditz demanded, Bardock sighed wanting to end the conversation but continued knowing Raditz wouldn’t let it go.

“I don’t know the exact details, Vegeta beat me to him when he took off all of a sudden. By the time I caught up, his attacker was dead and Kakarot was on a bed with bites and marks all over his neck and shoulders. He was still dressed, if you count what that bitch made him wear clothing. She made him look like…” he stopped with a snarl and took a deep breath. “Anyways, I just wanted you to know about Kakarot’s voice and wanted to find out why you called. What happened?”

“Goten had a…vision I guess you’d call it.” Tarble explained. “I don’t know what it was, just that it involved Vegeta and someone was hurting him. It wasn’t a dream either, Bardock, he was awake, and it was like he wasn’t aware of anything around him. When he snapped out of it, he ran to Tarro’s shrine, and he called on Lady Tarro’s power. Her aura surrounded him, and he didn’t even notice we were in the room.”

“He stayed that way until after I spoke to Gohan. Little squirt passed out as soon as he heard Kakarot and Vegeta were safe.”

“So that’s what happened.” The eldest said softly. “We can discuss that later, I’ll just tell you Vegeta found a new transformation. You might get to see it in the morning, if he hasn’t managed to power down yet.”

++++VK++++

"Can we call them now?" Goten asked as he and Trunks returned from getting dressed. It was plain to see the cub was still tired from the previous day with his timid behavior.

"Let me finish taking care of Vegito." Tarble said cleaning Gito's face while trying to get him to eat. The baby was being a bit fussy this morning.

"Boys, come sit over here." Raditz said pointing to the couch.

"Why? We didn't do anything." Trunks said. "You said we'd get to call them."

"I know." The older male said. "But we need to talk about a few things first."

"Like what?" Goten asked. "Is Tama ok? And Daddy?"

"They're both fine." Raditz said trying to reassure the boys. "Remember how we told you Kakarot was hurt?” He waited for the boys to nod. “He’s going to be fine, but we wanted to tell you that your tama can't speak right now.”

“What do you mean Tama can't talk?” Trunks asked from his spot beside Goten.

“The demon woman did something to paralyze Kakarot's vocal cords, and he can't speak until that's been fixed. Your grandfather called last night and said other than that, he's ok, but just be aware of that. We didn't want it to upset you when he didn't say anything during the call.” Raditz placed a hand on either boy’s shoulders.

“Kakarot might have some bruises and cuts, but Father was able to treat the worst of Kakarot's injuries. He's going to be fine so don't worry.” His smile was warm, and Trunks smiled back, but the younger cub couldn't make his meet his eyes.

Goten would not be able to relax until he saw his tama again. His tail twisted around behind him as he stood up and started to pace in the younger prince’s sitting rooms. He knew he was worrying Trunks and the grown ups but he couldn’t help it. After all the things he saw in his sleep, even if they were just his imagination….He needed to see his Tama was ok.

Finally the older beta took Vegito from his chair and proceeded to finish getting the cub ready. Goten bounced on his feet as he anxiously waited for Tarble to finish dressing his little brother. He tried to keep his impatience under control, but in the end the boy had to give up as he sat and curled into a ball. He was worried about how his tama was doing, but he wanted to see him so bad.

Sushi came up and nuzzled the black haired cub’s shoulder with the stuffed dragon in his mouth. Goten absentmindedly scratched the panzaon under his chin as he took the toy from his pet. He buried his face in the plush material as he leaned against the lizard.

“Now, remember boys, keep in mind that Kakarot can't talk yet.” Tarble's voice brought Goten out from behind his dragon. “So don't be sad when he doesn't say anything.” The little beta bolted to the communicator and clutched his dragon tightly, Trunks beside him was practically vibrating in excitement. The screen flickered to life and both cubs teared up as they saw Goku on the screen with everyone else.

“Tama!” The beta’s eyes grew misty as well while he smiled at them. He reached one hand out to touch the screen as the half saiyans crowed closer. Their small bodies almost blocked the screen from view for the others in the room.

“We've missed you so much!” Goten almost sobbed, and Trunks started in as soon as he got that sentence out.

“We thought we'd never see you again!”

“Are you ok?”

“Did you see dad fight?”

“When are you coming home?”

Goku looked back and forth as the boys fired off one thing after another, but he couldn't get them to stop. He bit his lip out of anxiety at not being able to reassure his boys, and he seemed to shrink a bit in on himself.

“Hey!” Vegeta's voice silenced the older cubs. This brought everyone's eyes to the still furry alpha. As happy as he was at seeing his three younger boys, he wanted to make sure that Karo wasn't overwhelmed by those three. “One thing at a time boys. We can't answer you like this.” He said as he wrapped an arm around Karo to calm him.

“Dad? Is that you?” Trunks’ eyes were wide as he took in the new transformation. He looked at the older prince with absolute awe all over his face. “What happened to you?”

“Can we do that?” Goten stared at him as well with stars in his eyes as he asked making the adults chuckle a bit.

“I'm not sure you want to, Mahana.” Bardock spoke as he crossed his arms. “Looks to me all that fur isn't very comfortable, although Kakarot seems to enjoy it.” The older man chuckled at the glare and pout his youngest son sent him.

“It's just another transformation. I'll tell you about it when we get back.” He looked down at his body, ignoring what Bardock said. “We'll start the trip back once my power goes down. No, Karo didn't see me fight. Your tama is still a little hurt, but he'll be fine.”

The older boys sagged a bit in relief especially after Goku nodded his head in agreement with his mate’s words. 

Just then, Vegito was finally able to see his tama, and he reached out with his hands and starts to fuss. The older beta felt his eyes sting at the sight of his youngest reaching out as he started to whine and cry. Tarble immediately tried to calm the cub as he saw Kakarot getting upset.

“Hey, it’s ok, Gito.” Tarble cooed futilely. Vegeta tried as well to no end. Bardock watched Kakarot worried as his son started to tear up wondering if it would be better to end the call now and try again later. Goku felt his heart break as his youngest cried and wished he could say something to calm him down. His eyes closed as he tried to think of something, anything he could do to calm his cub down.

“Maybe we should-” Bardock stopped when a low whistle from his son distracted him and everyone else. The cub hiccuped and whimpered as Goku started whistling a soft soothing tune. Everyone watched in surprise as the baby quieted and giggled as he smiled at his tama.

“Well I’ll be damned…” Bardock whispered. Vegeta just smiled and shook his head. ‘Only Kakarot…’

Eventually the baby calmed and settled down in Tarble’s arms. He happily cooed watching Kakarot as he stopped his little tune.

“Ta.” Goku’s eyes widened with that single syllable. Vegeta and the other’s stared at the cub in surprise.

“Say it again, Gito.” Vegeta said seeing the hope growing in his mate’s eyes. “Say that again.”

“Come on, Gito.” Tarble said pointing at Goku. “Who’s that?”

“Ta!” The cub squealed happily while Goku wiped his eyes smiling. 

“He said his first word.” Gohan cheered. “Dad, you were his first word.”

“That’s so cool!” Trunks commented.

They celebrated Vegito’s first word before things calmed down. Kakarot leaned back against Vegeta as he enjoyed his time with his family.

“Tama, guess what! I’m a beta!” Goten said happily. Every one smiled seeing the little cub so happy. Goku smiled and gave the cub a thumbs up before he glanced questioningly at the others. Tarble smiled and nudged the smallest beta.

“Show him.” Goten grinned and let go of his dragon as he opened the neck of his shirt to show off the silvery mark.

“See! Lady Tarro gave me that! Uncle Tarble said I’m a- I’m a-” He paused looked up at his uncle. “What was that word?” Tarble chuckled.

“He’s a Saibai-sha, a chosen one of Lady Tarro.” Goku blinked in surprise.

“She talks to me and I can ask her for help!” Goten continued. “I asked her to help Daddy bring you home. She helped Daddy beat the bad lady too!”

“What do you mean, tesoro?” Vegeta asked.

“I saw you get hurt.” The cub said softly. He curled against Trunks and shivered remembering the things he saw. Goku whined in worry as he looked at his mini look alike. “I….I prayed for her to help you.” Goten’s worries and anxieties all came pouring out as he held his dragon tightly and leaned into Trunks while his eyes filled with tears.

“I kept having nightmares, tama. I got so scared, so I begged her to make it stop and help Daddy.”

“Shhh.” Kakarot shushed the cub. Vegeta took over when Goku gave him a pleading look.

“It’s ok, Goten.” He said. “You were very brave, tesoro. Lady Tarro spoke to me, cub. She told me you were praying to her. Did you know you are the reason she helped me and that I was able to transform and protect Karo?”

“Really?”

“Really, you did good, Goten.” The older prince gave his youngest stepson a warm look.

The small beta gave his parents a beaming smile. He felt so relieved that he was able to help his daddy and tama, and that they were both ok. 

“Oh, Tama! Guess what Uncle Raditz and Tarble did!” Goten then proceeded to tell Goku all bout his birthday and other things that happened while they were away with Trunks adding things in here or there. 

The older beta just savored the opportunity of listening to his cubs with a small smile on his face as he tried to keep up with all the information Goten and Trunks were telling him. He didn't realize just how much their absence affected him until he saw their faces on the view screen. They were happy, safe, and that she demon would never touch them.

The call lasted most of the day until around dinnertime on Vegetasei, and Tarble couldn't ignore the boys growling stomachs any more. He gave Vegito over to Raditz and came up behind the pair still in front of the com-link.

“Alright, boys, wrap it up. Time for dinner.” The younger prince’s words made the half saiyans look back at him with wide eyes.

“But we want to talk to Tama more!” Goten whined. He wasn't ready to say goodbye just yet.

“Please, Uncle Tarble!” The older boy looked up pleadingly.

“Sorry, boys.” Tarble shook his head. “You need to eat, and Kakarot needs to rest. You can talk to him more tomorrow.”

“Do we have to?” Both cubs pleaded with their parents. Goku chucked silently before nodding and making a shooing motion.

“Listen to your uncle, boys.” Vegeta chimed in. “We’ll talk tomorrow, I promise. I think all of us could do with something to eat anyways.”

“Okay.” Goten pouted but agreed. “I love you Tama, you too Daddy.”

“Yeah, come home soon okay!” Trunks chimed in. Goku just smiled brightly at his babies and waved.

“We love you too boys. We’ll be home as soon as we can.”


	48. Chapter 48

Goku relaxed against his mate under the warm rays of the planet's star after a particularly large saiyan dinner. At this moment, if he could the beta would be purring in pleasure.

Vegeta was such a thoughtful dominant. The alpha had gathered up enough food for a wonderful picnic, and the pair was alone on the shore of the strange sea. The prince had even brought an extra blanket so Goku could wrap up in if he got too chilly.

Once the beta was settled, Vegeta proceeded to pamper his healing mate.

The only thing that was hindering the wonderful experience was the pain that was coming from the submissive’s back. With the massive amounts of scars, Goku was having a hard time staying comfortable no matter what position he shifted into.

As he shifted again, the beta felt a couple of his muscles in his back seize up, and he had to strangle the whine that attempted to come out of his mouth. He didn’t want to ruin their time together worrying Vegeta. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to hide his pain completely from the observant alpha he was leaning against. 

“Karo, are you alright?” Vegeta's raspy voice made the younger saiyan nod, but he didn't look convinced. He gently moved the submissive's face so he could look at him.

“Karo, if you hurt please tell me.” Vegeta said sitting up and looking over his mate. Goku looked down not wanting to meet the prince’s intent gaze. “Is it your tail?” The beta shook his head and rolled to avoid Vegeta’s gaze only to have to stop another whine when his back muscles seized again.

“I knew it.” The alpha growled a bit as he lovingly nuzzled the younger man. “Karo, you can’t keep hiding if you’re in pain. We can’t help you heal if you keep doing that. Its your back, isn’t it?” With a reluctant sigh, he nodded.

“With the damage that iblis did to you I’m not surprised, love.” The prince said easing the beta onto his stomach. “I know you’re a little uncomfortable with us touching your back, but I brought something that might help you feel better.” Goku glanced back over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

“After we checked your scans, your father and I saw how deep the scars went. I put together an ointment Nappa, Raditz, and I used to use. It should help your muscles relax and to soften up the scar tissue.” The alpha held up a small jar of light green cream. “Would you like me to put some on?”

The submissive bit his lip as he watched Vegeta patiently wait for his response. Slowly, Goku agreed and allowed the older saiyan to take his shirt off. He could almost feel those silver eyes rake over his back like a physical touch, and the beta had to resist the urge to squirm under those eyes.

Vegeta moved to straddle his mate’s hips as he pulled off his gloves. After he arranged Goku's arms to fold under his chin, he dipped his fingers into the ointment. Thinking it would be easier on the submissive to start on his shoulders rather than his lower back, the alpha reached out.

A combination of peppermint and spearmint scent was his only warning before the cool cream touched his shoulder. The unexpected touch made Goku flinch a little, but the deep purr from behind him had him relaxing.

“Sorry, Karo. I should have warned you.” The prince gently dug his fingertips into the stiff tissue as they massaged the cream into the beta's skin. Seeing the ropes of discolored skin made his blood boil in rage, but he kept his temper in check as he worked a rather stubborn knot out of the back of Goku's neck.

Almost immediately, the younger man seemed to melt a bit, and a relieved sigh came out. Dark eyes closed in bliss as Kakarot felt the spasms in his shoulders stop under his mate's hands. He had forgotten just how good of a massage Vegeta could give, and the longer this went on, the more comfortable he felt with the alpha.

Vegeta couldn't hide the satisfied grin on his face when his mate whimpered in bliss as he kneaded the healing ointment into his beta's back. The prince slowly worked his way down Kakarot's back paying special attention to every knot. 

As his mate reached his lower back and tail, Goku felt wonderful. The soft fur was cool against his skin with feather soft touches as Vegeta's arms worked. Everything felt so good, and the beta would have moaned in pleasure if he could have. 

The soft kiss on the back of his neck was the last straw for the beta. He arched his head back to rub against the side of his mate's face and to press against him as those skillful hands continued their massage. He preened inside when he felt the prince nuzzle back alongside him.

Vegeta smiled as his lips pressed another kiss to the beta's shoulder. He purred as his mate pressed closer to him, and he remained hunched over so he could nip and kiss Goku's shoulders as his hands worked on the submissive's lower back.

Goku could feel his body heat up as the alpha’ hands started to rub the damaged skin with the cream to make it more pliable. He let out a silent moan as Vegeta's fingers touched a spot on his ribs that made blood start to flow southwards. His mind started to get hazy with pleasure.

The younger man hummed a bit as he arched his back away from the other saiyan so he could press his neck closer to the dominant's mouth. He craved the feeling of sharp teeth sinking into his mark. 

Small puffs of air escaped Kakarot’s lips as his body heated further, and he could feel himself stiffening in his gi pants. He finally managed to twist away long enough to roll onto his back, and the beta looped his arms around Vegeta's neck to bring him down into a deep kiss. Vegeta growled softly and kissed his mate back, completely forgetting about the cream as the jar was knocked to the side.

The submissive relished in the warmth and softness of the prince’s golden fur. He made small moves to feel that fur along his bare skin, and to get more of that clove scent on his body. Just being under the older man made him feel so safe and wanted.

Goku wanted Geta to bite him, he wanted it more than he could stand. When he broke the kiss for air he leaned in and grazed his teeth over Vegeta’s mark before he bit down softly trying to tell the alpha what he wanted. His actions had the desired effect when his partner groaned before kissing the beta roughly while their hips rubbed together. 

The alpha could smell a spike in the beta's scent, and his mind started to fog over the longer he breathed that cinnamon scent. Goku’s pleasured whine ignited his instincts as he bared his neck to dominant so the alpha could reach it. Sharp teeth brushed over the mating mark, and Goku submit completely to his alpha while he pulled Vegeta closer pressing the fangs into his skin. 

The dominant responded to the overture and pressed his mate into the blankets sinking his teeth into his mark. He let out a growling moan as the taste of blood flooded his mouth. The beta gave a silent cry when Vegeta’s tongue lapped at the crimson fluid left behind. They both needed more. As his hand reached for his mate’s pants, the beta arched up to press against him and that made prince come to his senses.

Vegeta jerked back like he had been brunt. He couldn't get too far with Goku's arms and legs wrapped around him, and he reached around to gently unhook the submissive's legs from around his waist that he never noticed wrap around him.

The younger saiyan immediately whined in displeasure as the alpha started to pull further away from him. He opened his eyes half way and reached up to pull his mate back down on top of him. The smell of his submissive nearly overcame the prince as he resisted and untangled the beta’s limbs.

“Karo, we can’t.” Vegeta tried to reason with the beta. If Kakarot were able, he had no doubt the beta would be growling at him right now as those arms around his neck tried to pull him close again. “Karo, you’re still healing.” Goku whined with a pleading look that Vegeta was almost certain meant the younger saiyan didn’t care.

“No, Kakarot.” The alpha finally said in a firm voice as he finally pulled himself off his mate. He instantly regret his choice when he saw the tears gather in Goku’s now distraught eyes. “Karo, I didn’t mean it-”

The submissive didn’t give him a chance to explain. Apparently the massage had done its job when Kakarot got to his feet near effortlessly. Vegeta quickly followed his upset mate.

“Karo, wait! Let me explain!” He pleaded grabbing the beta’s wrist. Vegeta knew that was the wrong thing to do when he felt Kakarot tense. The side of his face burned as Goku turned and slapped before bolting for the ship in tears. The alpha was truly concerned as Kakarot had never resorted to anything similar before now, he honestly didn’t know how to fix this. Taking his time, Vegeta gathered their things and walked back to the ship, deciding it was probably best to let his mate calm down a bit first. In hindsight he should have expected his father-in-law’s attack as he was slammed against the wall after entering the vessel.

“What did you do?!” the older dominant snarled. “He’s holed himself up in my bedroom crying his eyes out, Vegeta! I swear if you tried to take advantage of him, I’ll bury you on this planet!”

“Damn it, you overprotective bastard! I had to stop him from taking advantage of me!” Vegeta snarled back.

“What?”

“I took some cream with us to help his back and gave him a massage with it.” The prince explained more calmly. “Karo….at some point Karo decided he wanted…more. I told him no and had to pull away before he snapped what little control I still had.”

“Wait, he wanted to….” Bardock flushed lightly before shaking his head to stop that train of thought. He had no desire to know what his son did with his mate. “Why’d you say no if he started it?”

“I don’t know if he was doing it to please me, or if he really wanted it for himself. He was very upset about that bastard biting his mark last night.”

“I see.” The elder saiyan released his hold and both sat in the nearby consoles.

“Even if he is ready, I don’t want to hurt him, Bardock; and while I’m still like this, I’m terrified of what I’d do if I lost control.” Bardock nodded, Vegeta had been trying to control his strength, but it was becoming more noticeable that the younger man was having a difficult time as the transformation lingered. Vegeta would never physically harm Kakarot but accidents did happen, and he wasn’t sure the prince would ever forgive himself if he hurt Kakarot while he was still healing.

“I tried to explain it to him before he stormed off but he…” his hand rubbed the still stinging flesh on his cheek. “well, Karo made his opinion of my refusal known without his voice clear enough.” 

“Slapped you didn’t he?” Bardock snickered at the nod. “He really does take after Gine. Don’t worry, you aren’t the first alpha to get slapped by their mate. Even your dad took a few smacks to the face at one point or another."

“I guess I should have expected something like this.” The prince muttered as his hand fell from the side of his face. He let out a sigh. “Still, I didn't mean to hurt him.” 

“Just give Kakarot some space for now,” Bardock said as he closed his eyes and scratched the back of his head. “You can explain yourself once he calms down.”

Vegeta hummed in agreement, but he still couldn't help but feel awful about making his beta cry.

+++VK+++

Goku was sitting in the corner of the bed with his back against the wall. The submissive had buried himself under the blankets of his father's bed and was hugging a pillow to his chest as he cried into it.

He felt confused, hurt, and rejected. Everything was going so good earlier with his mate. After what he had gone through, this felt like a wonderful dream.

‘I thought Geta said he would always want me…why..?’ He whined as more tears streaked down his face. ‘Did I do something wrong?’

The submissive's thoughts circled around in his mind until all the crying and sobbing had him slipping into slumber.

Dream 

Goku curled up beside his alpha at their lake. The sun shown warmly with a pleasant breeze making it a perfect day for laying out with his mate. Vegeta was letting him use him as a pillow just holding him. Goku melted when the prince nuzzled his mating mark, and breathed in the deep heady scent of his mate feeling his desire for the alpha grow.

Turning the beta nuzzled back and tried to get his partner to join him. He wanted to be with Vegeta again, and he slowly licked up the older man's cheek with a purr. The beta tugged on the black pants the dominant wore.

“No, Kakarot.” Vegeta said pulling away, his tone impassive. Goku whined softly. He was ready to be with Vegeta. He knew the prince wouldn’t hurt him and wasn’t afraid regardless of what Vegeta saw on the demon’s ship.

“Geta, please.” Goku asked quietly giving the alpha a soft kiss. “Please Geta, I want to be with you. I’m not scared.” Dark eyes looked back at him, and the younger man felt something unpleasant grip his heart.

“I know you aren’t, Kakarot, but I don’t want to be with you.” Vegeta replied with complete indifference as he pulled the submissive's hands away from him. Goku felt his heart stop and tears form in his eyes.

“W-what?” His voice shook no matter how much he tried to keep the tremor from it. He reached out for his mate. “What do you mean?”

“You heard me,” the alpha said pulling away. “why would I want to be with you anyways? You’re broken, Kakarot. You let another mark you. You’re weak.”

“That’s not true!” Goku begged. “Geta, I didn’t let him. I tried- I tried to keep him off me, Geta. Please believe me.”

“I thought you were worthy of being my mate, Kakarot. I though you were strong enough to protect our cubs; but you let yourself get kidnapped by that low life trash and his demon friend. You couldn’t even manage to escape on your own and got yourself scarred up in the process.” Goku sobbed at Vegeta’s hurtful words

“But…The other night…you said you weren’t mad…”

“I just said that to keep you from whining to Bardock. Even he’s disappointed with you. You’re supposed to be the strongest of our race, and we had to rescue you. I thought I could keep you around to take care of the cubs at least, but I don’t even want to look at you with how ugly you are.”

Goku covered his ears and curled in on himself with clenched eyes not wanting to listen to the hateful words of his mate or see the cold distaste in his dark eyes. It didn’t stop him from remembering them as they echoed loud enough to make him want to scream until they stopped.

“Aw, poor pet.” 

The familiar feminine voice had Goku stiffing as his head jerked up to find the source in the darkened room he found himself in. The sound of skin sliding along a metal floor hissed in the air behind him, but when he turned around, he couldn't see anything in the shadows outside the ring of light he was in.

“I told you men like Vegeta prefer their partners to be whole and pretty.” The familiar tip of a tail ran over his back, and the beta jerked away from the feeling spinning in terror trying to find the owner of the voice. “I'm not surprised he wouldn't want to do anything like that with you.”

An ice blue braid draped over Goku's shoulder as a small pair of hands rested on either side of his neck. The thin tail came up to brush over the scars on his back as Shiveria tutted at the saiyan. This time the beta found himself unable to move away, and he found shackles on his wrists chaining him to the floor.

“N-no….you’re d-dead!” Goku screamed out in fear. “Geta –Geta said he killed you!” That horrible laugh rang in his ears making his heart speed up.

“Is that what he told you?” Shiveria cooed in his ear. “Oh pet, do you think that anything could actually take you away from me? You’re still mine, Goku. You know that.” Her hands raked down his back, the scars burning like a brand at her touch. “These scars…no matter where you go, everyone knows you belong to me, pet.” 

“That’s not true! You’re dead, you don’t own me!”

“Then why am I still here, pet?” She whispered into his ear as she came around in full view. Goku couldn’t help the shaking that took over his limbs. “You want to know a secret? I let you go. I let Vegeta have you to prove to you he wouldn’t want a scarred, broken, and used thing like you as his mate.” She said as casually as if she was talking about the weather. “He practically asked me to take you back.”

“Y-you’re lying! H-he wouldn’t…” He hated the laugh that answered him, as his blood boiled.

“Maybe, maybe not.” She said with a sly smirk. Dark eyes went wide and the beta thrashed against the chains holding him down when he saw the familiar item in her hands. “I think its time I put this back on you, don’t you, pet?”

“S-stop!” He fought frantically to get away, his wrists bleeding from his shackles cutting him as he pulled against them. “Stay away.”

“But pet, this collar will look so pretty on you.” One of her hands threaded in his hair to hold him still. Desperation flooded the beta as he watched the metal collar come even closer to his neck.

“No! Get away from me!” Goku screamed. “GET AWAY!”

End dream

Goku’s eyes snapped open once he felt something touch his neck, and he swung wildly at the figure near him, not caring or able to see whom they were in the dark. Violent tremors wracked his frame as he panted from the fear of his dream, and the beta shrank back against the wall once a pained yelp was heard. 

“Ahhh! Karo, it's me.” The scent of his father and the voice of his mate hit him hard and pierced the haze in his mind. He froze with his heart hammering in his chest as he shook off the lingering affect of his dream.

The sight that greeted him was a fur free Vegeta dressed in the tank top and pants he wore on earth last. The prince was looking at him with a wary look as he rubbed at him lower arm. Four shallow scratches were bright red against the slight tan skin of the alpha, but he paid them no mind.

Goku whined and nearly moved to hug his mate until the words from the dream and his actions from earlier flashed through his mind. He glared at the alpha as he shrunk back further from the older male pulling the blanket back around him to hide his scars.

“Karo, I’m sorry.” Vegeta said softly. His mate’s shame and distrust hurt. “Let me explain, please. I didn’t want to hurt you, Karo.” Goku glared as tears gathered in his eyes, his inability to speak frustrating him more than before.

“I know, I screwed up on that, and I’m sorry. Can you honestly answer something for me?” Hesitantly, the beta nodded, but still glared at the prince.

“When you started to get intimate, did you really want that? It wasn’t something to make me happy? I know you were upset because that bastard marked you, but I don’t want to pressure you into being with me if you aren’t ready. Was your advance because you wanted it for yourself?” Goku stared at the alpha with a flicker of surprise. He didn’t think Geta would be worried about that. Goku nodded but made no move to go closer to the alpha.

“Ok, that brings me to the other reason I said no.” Vegeta said sitting on the bed beside his mate. “I wasn’t in complete control of my strength, Karo, not in that form. I didn’t say anything so I wouldn't worry you, but the longer I stayed in that form the more I was having trouble. Just this afternoon I almost destroyed the kitchen when I was making our dinner.” He muttered uncomfortably as his eyes flickered over to the wall and back.

“The last thing I wanted to do was lose control and hurt you while we were intimate. Especially not with you still healing from everything that happened. I promise you, I wasn’t saying no because I don’t find you attractive, Karo. You damn near broke the little restraint I had.” The beta whined questioningly.

“You are still the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, love.” Vegeta said as he moved closer and slid the blanket off his mate’s shoulders. He gathered the submissive in his arms and was pleased when the younger man didn't resist him.

“I told you, nothing will ever change how I feel about you, certainly not some damn scars. Those scars show how strong you were, Karo. When they start to bother you, remind yourself that the person who gave them to you is dead and you aren’t.” Goku’s hand came up to cover his mark as he looked down.

“Love, even if that….thing...did more than what he did before I got to you, it wouldn’t change how I feel. You didn’t ask for him to hurt you, Karo. I saw the lengths he went to so he could touch you against your will, I will never be angry at you for that. I still want you, love, don’t ever think I don’t, I want to make you scream my name and mark every inch of you so everyone in the universe knows you’re mine. As much as I want that, I will wait until you are ready, however long that takes.”

Goku flushed at the possessive words, but a smile was now on his face. Now realizing that the dominant was just trying to protect him even if it was from himself made the beta feel warm on the inside. He hummed as he rubbed his head under Vegeta's chin.

“So…forgive me?” The alpha asked as he rubbed a hand up and down the scarred skin on his mate's back. He fought a grin once he felt Goku nod against his shoulder. His inner alpha wanted to preen now the he knew Karo wasn't mad at him anymore.

The submissive breathed in Vegeta's scent, and he could feel the stirrings of arousal flare up again. It was a relief that his fears had been for nothing, and Goku wanted to reward his dominant for being so sweet and considerate.

The beta licked up a strip on the prince’s neck as he shifted to straddle the older saiyan's lap. Goku pulled back only to bring their lips together in a kiss that slowly got more passionate the longer it went on.

The alpha bought his hands up to hold onto Goku's hips, and he let out a groan when he felt the submissive suck on his tongue after he slipped it inside. Seeing where this was heading while he still had his faculties, the dominant broke the kiss only to shiver once the beta turned his attention to his neck.

“Umm, Karo, not that I don’t want to do this, because I really want to, I don’t think now is a good time for it.” Vegeta said trying to keep his head while Goku nuzzled and nipped at his neck. Goku stopped and glared at the alpha with his fangs peeking from his lips. “Kakarot, I love you and will do anything you ask of me, but I do not want to have sex in your father’s bed.” The beta’s eyes widened in shock before he flushed a crimson red and put distance between them, but it was for nothing.

“You are not having sex in my room! I sleep here!” Bardock shouted from the doorway blushing nearly the same shade as his son, and Vegeta wasn’t sure who was more embarrassed, his mate or his father.


	49. Chapter 49

“Alright, everyone. We're about to enter the atmosphere, so either sit down and strap yourselves in or risk being slung around the cabin. Thank you for flying with us on Air Bardock.” The eldest saiyan drawled out as he switched the ship off autopilot.

The prince help settled the submissive down on a chair just off to the side of Bardock's pilot seat so he could have a good view of the screen while they maneuvered the ship into its private dock.

Goku was quivering in the seat next to his mate as he saw the port on Vegetasei appear on the view screen on Bardock's ship. The beta's dark eyes immediately locked on to the group of people by the entrance of the dock, and an excited whine came from his throat.

“Easy, Kakarot,” Bardock said with a chuckle. “I know the fractures are mostly healed, but you could still break them again if you don't settle down. A few weeks isn't going to take care of everything.”

In a fit of childishness, the beta stuck his tongue out at his father while pulling one of his lower eyelids down. The look the older alpha got behind his back from his son made Gohan and Vegeta snicker, but Goku did his best to settle down in his seat.

“Put that tongue back in your mouth, brat, or I'll pull it out,” Bardock said without looking back at Goku. He fought a smile as he tried to stabilize the decent of the ship. It made him feel relieved to know that Kakarot was slowly becoming playful like his old self.

Goku made a silent eep and complied. The submissive furrowed his brow at how his father knew that he was making a face at him, but he didn't want to risk doing it again. He knew Bardock would do it too. After a rather bumpy decent, Bardock eased the ship into the dock. 

“You could've taken out the side of the building while you were at it, Bardock.” Vegeta sneered at the older saiyan as he righted himself in his seat.

“Fine! The next time, you can drive.” The pilot unbuckled himself from the seat. “You're lucky I can actually fly a ship at all!”

“I can certainly do a better job than you, that's for sure!” The prince huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Gohan helped his father out of the chair while the older alphas bickered back and forth. The teen looked up when the beta lightly touched his arm, and frowned once he saw the slightly nervous look.

“Don't worry, Dad.” Gohan reassured the older man with a smile. “They have been doing that the whole time we've been gone. I think they need some time apart to be honest. I'm not sure I can take that another day.”

Goku smiled at his oldest son’s words. When he looked over at the others, he could almost see lightening sparking between the alphas as they glared at each other. The submissive came up beside his mate and wrapped his hands around one of the prince’s arms.

As soon as Vegeta looked down, he let out a whine and tilted his head towards the door of the ship. He blinked and snapped himself back to the present.

“Right, sorry. Let's go, Karo.”

Goku held tightly to Vegeta as they left the ship. The beta was trembling in a mix of excitement and unsteadiness from the increased gravity and his injuries from the less than comfortable landing. Goku didn't quite have his "land legs" back after over a month in space. Vegeta tried to carry him, but he wanted to walk; and they didn't have the heart to force him to do anything. 

"Tama!" Goten and Trunks screamed as they ran to the beta. Goku sobbed as he smiled and knelt gathering them in his arms. He pulled them close and buried his face in their hair as he cried in happiness. The boys cried clinging to him. 

"We missed you, Tama." 

Goku nuzzled the boys with a soft whine as the cubs clung to him tightly. 'I missed you so much, boys. I thought about you every day.' He thought, never wanting to let go of his babies. He couldn't help himself as he tried to hold the pair tighter to him.

"Boys, lets get your tama inside." Vegeta said after a few moments after he and Bardock spoke with Raditz. The crowds were making them anxious. He could see a few of the saiyans around them whispering while they tried to get a better look at the beta. "It's been a long trip, and I'm sure he wants to see Tarble and Vegito too."

"Yeah! And Sushi too!" Trunks said excitedly taking Goku's hand after they separated from their hug.

"Tama, Sushi has babies!" Goten said excitedly. The boys immediately started to pull the beta to his rooms with the rest of their family following close behind them. 

Goku lifted a brow over that news. He looked over his shoulder to show the others his confusion. 

“I thought Sushi was a boy.” Gohan asked for his father. 

“It is.” Raditz grumbled out before Goten could reply. “It wondered off-”

“Stop, Uncle Raditz!” The little beta glared up at the long haired alpha. He pointed to the burly saiyan as he scolded him. “I want to be the one to tell the story!”

“Sorry, squirt,” Raditz said as he held his hands up in surrender with a chuckle. “But it's a long story. Let's wait until we get Kakarot settled before you talk his ears off.” While the two cubs pouted, the alpha gently placed a hand on Goku's shoulder. He had to hide a frown when he felt the muscles tense under his fingers.

“How are you, brother?” 

Goku gave the taller saiyan a small smile and a nod as he relaxed. Raditz gave the submissive a smile and slightly tightened his hand in a rare show of affection. The dominant ruffled his wild spikes a bit as he dropped back to talk to their father. 

The beta took a deep breath, relishing the scent of the air around him. His dark eyes took every opportunity to look out of the windows to see the rust colored sky. He was so distracted by the world around him that he didn't notice the lack of chatter coming from the cubs.

Goten’s light tugging brought the submissive's attention to the boy only for his eyes to widened in alarm. The cub’s eyes were damp as he tightened his hold on the hand he held. Feeling his other hand being squeezed as well, Goku's eyes flickered over to the lavender haired boy’s face as well. Seeing blue eyes as damp and puffy as the other half saiyan's made the beta's heart clench.

Not even caring if this would cause more strain on his body, Goku scooped the boys up in his arms without missing a step. Goten and Trunks immediately buried their faces in either side of his neck, and their small forms shook slightly from trying to keep their tears in. Goku just nuzzled them and kept walking to their rooms with Vegeta at his side. Gohan gave his grandfather a worried look, concerned if they should pick up the cubs themselves. The elder just shook his head, coming between Kakarot and his cubs right now was tantamount to getting mauled.

By the time they reached Goku’s rooms the beta was exhausted from all the activity. He had no problem allowing Vegeta to help guide him to the still present nest and settle with the boys who were now calm and purring. Goten’s little tail swayed happily behind him as he nuzzled his tama with a purr. Trunks was slightly more reserved in his behavior, but everyone could see just how happy he was.

“Ta!”

Goku’s head jerked up as he whined, hearing the sound of his youngest. Tarble smiled and handed the cub to his tama. Vegito squealed and purred reaching for the beta, and Goku sobbed holding all three of his young cubs feeling at peace.

“Don’t cry, Tama!” Trunks said worried. He looked over at Vegeta in alarm. “Dad, why’s he crying? Did we hurt him!?”

“It’s ok, boys.” The prince said settling with them and rubbing his mate’s back. “Your tama is very happy to see you. He missed you all very much. He’s just finally able to hold you and stop worrying if you are safe.”

“You worried about us?” Goten asked, his own eyes tearing up. Goku nodded and carefully dried the younger beta’s tears. He pressed a kiss to the cub’s forehead before doing the same to the others.

Vegito immediately nuzzled into his tama's arms as his tail wound around the submissive's forearm as tight as the baby could wrap it. Goku rubbed his cheek on the top of the little one's head with a happy sigh as he arranged for his older boys to stay propped up on either of his sides.

Vegeta couldn't help the small smile that was shared with everyone in the room at seeing Goku surrounding himself with his cubs. The older submissive seem to glow as he finally got settled down in his nest with his mate and three young boys.

Just then, a chirping sound came from the front door. Tarble moved to open it and Sushi came bounding in with two smaller panzaons at his heels. The large lizard came up to the nest with his tail wagging over the sight of the older beta. He let out another chirp as Goku scratched the large lizard under the chin.

“Oh! That's right!” Goten looked up at Goku. He reached over and picked up the two little panzaons so the older submissive could have a better look. “See! Sushi has babies!”

The two pups were about the size of cats. One was completely white while the other was solid black, and the pups had purple eyes like their father. The black one carefully made his way over to Trunks while the white one was purring at the scratches Goten was giving it.

“Brat, if you're going to tell the story, you better say more than that!” Raditz growled from his seat. “Like, how about you nearly gave me and Tarble a heart attack when the two of you went running off! I thought Shiveria's men had taken you two when I couldn't find you!” The two young half saiyans cringed from the looks of alarm that came from their parents. 

“We didn't mean to scare you!” Goten rushed out.

“We were safe the whole time!” Trunks was quick to reassure the older beta as soon as he noticed the border line panicked expression.

“You see, we noticed Sushi leaving the palace more then usual and wanted to follow him.”

Flashback

“Sushi, we brought you some extra food! Come here, boy!” Goten called as they carried the leftover meat from breakfast to the balcony where they usually fed the panzaon. It was the only time they came into Goku's chambers.

“Sushi?” Trunks questioned when he didn’t see their pet. Goten dropped the meat in the large dish they had for Sushi and went in the other bedroom to see if Sushi was in there.

“Trunks, I can’t find him.” The little beta called out as he looked under the bed. His face twisted into a look of concern at the lack of panzaon. Trunks looked around the room and noticed two of their pillows were missing.

“Did you move the pillows?”

“No.” They turned hearing the familiar scratching of Sushi’s claws. “Sushi!”

They ran on to the balcony and saw their pet grab a large chunk of meat into his mouth before turning and climbing over the edge of the wall and jumping down. The boys followed him stopping at the wall and watched their pet climb over the garden wall.

“Where’s he going?” Goten questioned. His black tail coiled around his leg as he looked to the small alpha.

“Let’s find out.” Trunks said flying into the air. The little beta nodded and followed after the lavender haired boy. 

“I wonder what Sushi is doing out here.” Trunks wondered as they followed the panzaon at a distance through the jungle. Despite both boys having their armor on, they now need to be cautious in the jungle.

“You don’t think he’ll leave do you, Trunks? Maybe he isn’t happy in the palace.” Goten wondered quietly with a sad look. He would hate for his pet to leave them, and he wasn't sure he could take it if the lizard did stay in the jungle.

“I don’t think its that, Goten.” The older comforted, trying to stop the tears he could see building in Goten's eyes. “Maybe he’s looking for Tama? He was pretty protective of him too. Raditz said Sushi almost ate the guy who took Tama.”

“Hey, look! He’s going into that cave.” The younger boy pointed to the sleek body as Sushi stopped in front of a cave. The boys dropped down and realized they weren’t far from where they met their friend.

“Sushi?”

Sushi didn't look back at the sound of his name. The panzaon chirped and stood between them and the back of the cave. Both boys stopped hearing a chorus of squeaking chirps.

“Huh?” Two small forms one white and one black poked their heads around the older male, and as soon as they saw the meat, the small reptiles attacked it. Goten’s small form practically vibrated.

“Babies!”

The shout had Sushi snarling in their direction until he saw the two cubs, and he let out a huff as he moved to lay down on the floor by the feeding pups. His purple eyes remained open and alert as he keep an eye out on the four in front of him.

“Wow! They're so cute!” Goten moved a little closer to the pair still tearing into the meat. Trunks put a hand on the other’s shoulder to keep the beta from getting too close.

“Be careful, Goten. Just because Sushi doesn't mind us petting him, doesn't mean that they won't. I'm not sure these two would be ok with it while they are eating.” He pulled the smaller boy over to the larger panzaon to lean up against his side. “Let's wait for them to get finished.” Sushi nuzzled and licked both the cubs and resumed watching the babies feed.

“So is this where you’ve been sneaking off to, Sushi?” Trunks asked the reptile with a smug grin. The panzaon snorted and stuck his snout in the air acting like it was his plan for them to follow him the whole time. Both saiyan cubs giggled and gave their friend scratches to show the weren’t upset. Goten looked around the cave and noticed there wasn’t any sign of a second panzaon.

“Hey, Sushi, where’s the mommy panzaon?” Sushi cocked his head to the side and chirped questioningly.

“You know, your girlfriend? She had the babies?” Trunks questions. The reptile chirped again somewhat puzzled. The little alpha looked down when something nudged his foot and saw the black baby investigate his boot. Goten giggled next to him and he just shook his head at the sight of the beta trying to push the white one away as it enthusiastically licked his face.

“Stop that tickles!” Several squeaks must have meant no as it continued to lick him anyways. The other baby crawled into Trunks lap and proceeded to curl up and sleep. After a few minutes Goten managed to wrangle his baby and soon it slept too.

“We should take them home with us.” Goten said never taking his eyes off the babies.

“Goten, there’s no way the grown ups will let us keep them. It took Tama making them calm down for us to get Sushi.”

“I didn’t say keep them, but we can’t leave them here. Sushi keeps leaving them to protect us, what if something hurts them. They’re just babies.” Goten argued, it was an old routine for the two after all their adventures on Earth. “We can keep them in Tama’s garden if they say no. That way Sushi can take better care of them.”

Trunks just gave the small beta an unimpressed look at his logic. The lavender haired cub just let out a sigh as he leaned back against the larger reptile’s side. It was useless to argue against Goten when it came to something like this.

“You know that you get to convince Uncle Tarble and Uncle Raditz.”

“I can do it, no problem.” Goten gave the other a beaming smile.

+++VK+++

“No, no, no, a hundred times no!” Raditz yelled at the two chibis who stood in front of him with their heads down. Tarble was silently letting Raditz have the floor, but it was clear from the way his tail lashed behind him that the beta was stressed and upset. Goten had the white pup hugged to his chest facing forward with it’s front legs splayed over his arms while Trunks had the black one resting on his shoulders.

“But they’re babies, Uncle Raditz, Sushi is their Daddy. That’s why he keeps leaving.”

“Yes, while we’re on that subject, what were you two brats thinking running off without telling anyone?!” Raditz yelled. “Do you have any idea what you put me and Tarble through, we though someone kidnapped you!”

“We were safe whole time.” Trunks tired to argue. “Sushi wasn’t that far ahead and we-”

“I don’t care how close the lizard was!” The alpha took a deep breath to rein in his temper. “It’s not enough to keep someone determined enough from grabbing you in that gods forsaken jungle. Do you think I want to tell your parents you were hurt or missing when they get home?”

“Boys, you don’t realize just how dangerous the people who took Kakarot are.” Tarble said finally. “They wouldn’t hesitate to take you and hurt you just to get back at your parents. What if you’d run into Turles in the jungle? He’s still able to hurt you boys if you come across him.”

“You can’t just run off and do as you please here boys.” Raditz continued. “This isn’t like Earth where almost nothing can hurt you. Vegetasei is a dangerous place, especially for cubs. And before you go spouting off about going super saiyan, let me remind you that you both lack the experience needed to take on a more experienced fighter. How many times has Father caught you two by the tails in sparing matches?” Both cubs flushed in embarrassment. “You have to tell us when you go somewhere.”

“But you weren’t mad when I left the bedroom that night.” The small beta mumbled as he looked down at his feet. His little tail was coiled tightly around his leg.

“Its very different going to a shrine down the hall and into the jungle alone, Goten.” Tarble explained. “For starters you didn’t leave the palace, if something happened we’d be able to find you quick enough and help.”

“We’re sorry.” Trunks said softly. “It’s my fault, I suggested we go.”

“We’ve decided to ground you boys for a few days. You don’t get to leave the rooms unless it’s a lesson, chore, or we say so.” Raditz explained.

“But what about feeding Sushi!” Trunks protested. Neither he or Goten wanted their pet to go hungry; and none of the castle staff would feed him.

“That’s a chore, you’ll still take care of that but you’ll have to wait for Raditz or myself to take you.” Tarble explained. Both boys nodded and accepted their punishment.

“And the babies?” Goten asked as somehow he and the tiny panzaon gave the adults the “puppy dog eyes”. A whine from Sushi revealed a similar pleading gaze.

“Please, Uncle Raditz!” Trunks chimed in. The alpha growled before looking away from the pleading cubs.

“Damn it! Fine, they can stay for now, just don’t-”

“Yay, you can stay Miyu!” Goten shouted happily cutting his uncle off. The little white panzaon squeaked as she moved to lick the younger boy on the cheek.

“What did I just-” Raditz shouted feeling something in his hair before he reached back and grabbed the black pup by the scruff and held it in front of him with a glare.

“Awe, he likes you!” The cubs chimed in unison as it licked Raditz on the nose. The black pup squeaked a couple of times before it worked out of the saiyan's grip and dove back into his mane.

End flashback

“It took almost an hour to get Dokueki out of Uncle Raditz's hair!” Trunks chuckled as he smoothed the black scales on the male pup’s back. “Uncle Tarble and me both had to get him out. Goten was laughing too hard to help.”

“Little menace,” Raditz hissed under his breath. The burly alpha crossed his arms with a huff and glare at the small form in the older boy’s lap. His expression softened when he saw Kakarot silently laughing over the story.

“I've told you to cut some of that off, hairball.” Vegeta smirked in amusement. “Didn't we have a similar experience when we were at the Lapisual planet? If I remember right, several-”

“Vegeta! Shut up!” A flush stained the larger dominant’s face as he cut the prince off before he could finish that sentence. “You said you wouldn't tell anyone about that!”

“Oh?” Bardock perked up with a devilish smirk on his face. “What was that all about? I smell a juicy story here. Spill it, prince.”

“I want to hear it!” Tarble called out from where he sat on a couch glued to Gohan's side. The two were practically joined at the hip since Tarble handed Vegito to his tama.

Vegeta opened his mouth to comply with Bardock’s demand, but Raditz narrowed his eyes at the other before a slow, mischievous grin spread over his face. Something about the expression made the prince stiffen.

“If you say anything about that, I'll tell Kakarot about that time when we were sent to Planet Polaraite. I'm sure you remember that trip very well.” The way he trailed off had everyone looking at Raditz, but Vegeta was glaring at him so hard it was a surprise that the burly man didn't ignite into flames.

“You wouldn't dare.”

“Try me, princeling!”

Goku just watched as his brother and mate descended into a shouting and name calling match with the others laughing the entire time. The beta wasn't expecting this when he returned, but he enjoyed it all the same.

“Oh,” Vegeta looked over at the boys after a witty comeback had Raditz sputtering. “Don't think that you won't have anymore punishment for running off like that.”

The prince smirked at the cries of protest that came from the pair.


	50. Chapter 50

“Do you think you can fix his vocal cords, Doctor Selarp?” Vegeta asked an older saiyan doctor from where he was standing by the examination table his mate was on. It had taken him most of the morning, but he had finally convinced Karo to come to the med bay to get treated, the beta was even more skittish about doctors now thanks to that bastard goat. He only relented when Vegeta promised to stay with him the whole time, something most doctors weren’t exactly happy about.

The man the alpha had spoken to had short hair that ended just above his shoulders with several spikes hanging over his eyes. He had a beard that was cut close to his jaw, and a few wrinkles were showing on his face. He was the same height as Vegeta, but he had a more slender build.

“Well, your highness, I'm not completely certain.” The doctor stroked his chin as he looked down at a tablet that showed the most recent scans of Goku's body. He pulled up a more detailed image of the beta's throat. “I've never seen anything like this before, and we are still sifting through the data Prince Gohan brought.”

The beta let out a small disappointed whimper at the news. He was hoping he could get his voice back now that he was on Vegetasei again. The alpha rubbed Goku's back and he looked disappointed as well.

“Please don't loose hope just yet, Prince Consort.” Selarp gave the other beta a reassuring smile. “We can try a few things after we've learned a bit more about what happened to you, and it might be possible we can reverse it.”

Goku gave the older man a weak smile. He wanted to believe that Selarp could help him, but he was a little unsure just how much he could trust the doctor. 

“I've noticed that your fractures haven't been fully healed yet. Did you not use the healing tank on Lord Bardock's ship?” Selarp tilted his seat to the side as he asked the pair in front of him.

At the mention of the tank, the younger submissive tensed up and tightened his grip on Vegeta's hand. Vegeta could see panic in his mate’s eyes and he wrapped an arm around the beta to keep him from bolting. Neither male commented on the clear scent of fear in the air.

“Karo, didn’t react well to the tank on the ship.” Vegeta explained carefully. “We aren’t sure why but we’re reasonably sure it has something to do with his capture.”

“I see.” Selarp said nodding as he noted something. “I have an idea about that if I may?” Selarp asked Goku. Hesitantly the younger nodded.

“You were confined to a ship the entire time of you capture correct?” Goku nodded. “I believe you might be suffering from claustrophobia. We noted years ago that some saiyans did not react well to prolonged time in space, particular if they traveled in attack balls. Those individuals would not use a healing tank of their own choice either due to the small size. We ended up developing larger tanks here on Vegetasei to treat these individuals as well as some of the larger members of our race.” Vegeta snorted at the idea of Nappa trying to fit into the small tank.

“Would you be willing to try using one of the larger tanks?” The doctor asked the other beta.

Goku bit his lower lip as he thought about it. As much as he wanted to refuse completely, he didn't want to be in pain any more, so he gave Selarp a hesitant nod.

“Very well. Please follow me.” Selarp swept out of the room with a swish of his lab coat. 

Goku kept his grip on Vegeta as the doctor lead them to a room further in the med bay. In the center of the room was a large tank that looked like It could easily hold something almost twice Sushi’s size. On either side of the tank were different computers that monitored the patient within. Seeing how much room there was made the nervous submissive relax a bit.

Vegeta kept an eye on his skittish mate as he stared at the tank. It didn't look like he would run, but the alpha remembered that Goku didn't panic until he had one foot in the other one. He squeezed the hand still clasped in his own and purred a bit to help Goku relax a little more.

“Your highness,” Selarp’s deep voice made the younger saiyan flinch a bit, but he turned nonetheless. The doctor had a pair of black shorts in his hands. “I'm afraid I need to ask you to remove your clothes. I need to make sure there isn't an injury that requires further attention before you go in the tank. I have something for you to wear while you are in the solution.”

Almost immediately, Goku shrank back against Vegeta with a hand fisting his gray kimono shirt defensively. The thought of undressing in front of a stranger made his skin crawl, and he found himself shaking his head.

“Karo, you need to do this.” Vegeta spoke up as he placed an arm around his mate. He frowned at the fleeing thought that he shouldn't be able to envelop the submissive this easily, but he pushed that in the back of his mind. “I'll be right here the whole time, and I promise that no one will do anything they aren't supposed to.”

Looking at the prince then back to the shorts, Goku timidly nodded and reached out for the shorts. The doctor turned his back as soon as the younger saiyan took the clothing, and he patiently waited for Goku to change.

The beta felt very exposed as he handed his clothes to the alpha. He hugged himself as he looked at the floor, and shivered in the cold air of the room. 

Selarp came around to look over Goku, once he got to the younger man's back, the other went rigid despite the fact that the prince was right beside him. The doctor had to hold back a grimace at the sight of the scars, but the black tail was the worst thing he saw in a long time.

“We will need to take care of your tail first, your highness. I'm afraid several bones didn't heal like they should have.”

Goku whined knowing this was coming, but he wasn't prepared for the doctor to gently grasp the broken limb without saying anything. He was so startled by the touch that he almost lashed out at Selarp on reflex.

Vegeta's quick action was the only reason Goku didn't rake his nails over the doctor's face as he swiftly let go of the damaged limb. He gently but firmly grabbed the submissive's wrists so he couldn't harm anyone. The alpha growled at the man.

"You idiot, you have to tell him what you're doing!" Goku was trembling now as he curled in on himself, but he could see the rage his mate had in his eyes as he glared at the doctor. “If you don't, he'll panic and lash out at you! The next time I won't stop it either!”

Selarp flinched at the harsh tone Vegeta had in his voice, but he knew the prince was right. The reaction his touch brought revealed some very troubling information about the Prince Consort’s time in captivity.

"Forgive me, you highness,” the older beta softly spoke. “I thought you knew I'd be touching your tail in the examination. I'm afraid we will have to rebreak the limb to properly fix it."

Goku's eyes clenched shut as he shook his head and coiled the damaged limb around his waist despite the pain it caused him to do so.

"Karo, it's alright." Vegeta tried to calm him down. They could both smell the beta's fear spike. "Just focus on me, Karo. You need to calm down, love." The beta whined pitifully. "I know, I'm not going anywhere. It will hurt, but we will get you straight to the tank and you won't feel it any more. Please let the doctor help you, love." Slowly the beta uncoiled his tail as he turned to face Vegeta. The alpha could see the fear in his mate’s eyes.

“Just focus on me, Karo.” Vegeta said placing his forehead against Goku’s. “Don’t look anywhere else ok. I’m right here.” He soothed as Goku’s breathing hitched when the doctor grabbed the tail again. The doctor quickly yanked the black limb to do all the breaks together forcing the limb to become straight once more. The beta’s head went down as he screamed silently.

Vegeta cringed at the sound of bones snapping and cracking. He had his tail broken when he was younger, but it was never as bad as Kakarot's. He could vividly remember just how painful it was to have those small bones reset, but it would feel so much better once the tail was fully healed.

“Shh, Karo.” He tried to sooth the shaking beta in his arms as he ran a hand through black spikes. “It's over, now let's get you in the tank.” The prince narrowed his eyes when he didn't receive a response from Goku, and he was beginning to get worried.

When his mate looked back up Vegeta knew something was wrong. Goku bared his fangs and shoved against him, his eyes clouded with panic. The dominant stumbled back a step from the force of the shove, and that allowed the beta to turn on the Selarp who still had his hands wrapped around Goku's tail.

The older saiyan didn't get away fast enough to prevent Goku from raking his nails over him, but he did manage to raise one arm up fast enough to protect his face. The strike and the beta pulling his tail out of the doctor's other hand made him off balance. Blood bloomed over the white lab coat Selarp had on, and he was knocked to the floor when the younger man lunged at him.

Vegeta was paralyzed in shock as he watched his gentle mate start to strangle the other beta, but he quickly shook it off to help Selarp. 

“Kakarot! Stop!” The prince came up from behind the beta to pull him off by the shoulders, but Goku brought his elbow back to hit Vegeta in the nose. Luckily, the alpha pulled back so it missed him. The submissive was quick to follow the momentum, and he brought his other hand up to claw at the side of Vegeta's face. 

Three gashes split the skin on the prince’s left cheek, but he used the attack to his advantage. He managed to twist Goku around enough so he could have access to his bond bite, and with a quick, sharp nip, his mate went limp in his arms. The bite failed to calm the beta completely as fear instead of anger was present in his eyes as he whined trying to force his limbs to move. Vegeta held him close and purred as he gave more attention to the bond bite hoping Kakarot would snap out of whatever this was or as the very least calm his mate down.

Selarp coughed as he sat up and rubbed at his throat. Vegeta didn’t miss the sheer terror the doctor instilled in his mate and wondered for the millionth time just what the hell that iblis and her damn goat did to Kakarot. Slowly the alpha shifted them until Kakarot could no longer see the other beta. He gave the mark another gentle nip when his mate began to weakly struggle again. Eventually the soft whimpers of his mate ceased and Vegeta felt Karo’s breathing even out.

“We should get him into the tank to help him heal.” The prince growled looking at the doctor. Selarp held his hands up in defense. “We can’t leave his injuries untreated sire. There’s a good chance he would sleep through the entire process and be under much less stress.”

“No.” The prince said firmly as he gathered Kakarot into his arms and stood. “I am aware of what needs to be done but I will NOT do anything to him without his consent unless it is the difference between life and death. Karo has had more than enough done to him without his consent.” Vegeta hissed quietly. “I apologize for allowing him to attack you like that, his reaction while….understandable was unexpected. We will try again when he wakes up. I shouldn’t need to tell you what will happen if you say one word about his behavior or injuries to anyone.”

“No, sire.”

“Good, you should take the day off and tend to your injuries. If anyone has issue with that send them to me. I can deal with these scratches myself.” With that the prince took them to their rooms. He thanked the gods that the cubs weren’t there and that he and Karo could be alone for a little while. Karo wouldn’t want them to see him like this. He took special care to cover his mate with the blankets and furs present to help him feel safe and also keep him warm.

The alpha leaned over and brushed his lips across his mate’s forehead only to feel a pulling sensation that made his vision grow dark.

Dreamscape

When the prince was able to see again, he found himself in Kakarot's garden sitting under his mate's favorite tree. The only difference was that the castle was gone, and mountains surrounded the area in the distance. He looked around in confusion before he noticed a weight on his lap.

Goku had his head resting on one of Vegeta's legs with his eyes closed and a scared expression on his face. Deciding to ponder how he got here later, the alpha immediately started to rouse the submissive.

“Karo,” he called out as he gently shook one shoulder. “Karo, wake up.” Vegeta was worried about whatever was plaguing his poor beta.

Goku whined as he started to wake. His head was jerking side to side, and his hands were twitching wildly. When the prince shook him again, he let out a cry as his dark eyes flew open.

“NO!” The sound of his own voice startled both him and Vegeta, but he calmed a bit after a few seconds once he saw Vegeta.

“Karo?” The older saiyan had a hand halfway reached out to where the beta had sat up when he came out of his nightmare.

“Geta, what-” Goku hand flew to his throat as he spoke. “How…?”

“It’s a dream.” Vegeta said a moment later as he realized what was happening. “Your father mentioned this could happen if we were close enough. Like the last time we dreamed together.” Goku blushed a bit to Vegeta’s amusement, it never failed to amuse him how easily his mate could still blush. “This must be where your mind feels calmest right now.”

“I like being outside.” Goku said almost afraid he’d lose his voice here. “This was where you held me after Turles said those awful things.”

“Karo, are you alright?” The prince asked. “You scared me in the med bay, Karo. What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Please, Geta.”

“Karo…”

“No! I want to forget and move on! I’m fine. Whatever s-she did is over, Geta, lets just forget about it and move on please.” There was a note of desperation in his voice that almost made Vegeta give in.

“Kakarot, you can’t even say her name. You flinch all the time love and I know you are having nightmares that you are hiding.” Geta said softly rubbing Goku’s cheek with his thumb. “Love, I watched you attack the medic in a blind panic. You aren’t fine, Karo.”

“You’ll hate me if you know, Geta.” Goku’s eyes watered. “I hate myself for being so weak…”

“Surviving under that bitch and what she put you through does not make you weak, Karo.” Vegeta said firmly as Goku tried to deny it. “She bound your ki, starved you, hurt and humiliated you and you didn’t break. That’s more than I can say about my time with Frieza. You saw what I became. You are not weak.”

“I feel weak, Geta, and I’m scared out of my mind that I’ll wake up and find this was all a dream.” The beta whispered curling into the alpha. “She threatened the boys, Geta. S-she….” Goku cried as Vegeta held him glad his mate was at least getting some of this off his chest. “Goten’s birthday, I couldn’t take it anymore and I fought back after she tried to put that -that tail ring on me.” The beta spat. “S-she crushed my tail, over and over with her foot before she used it t-to hold me down and….” He whined not wanting to recall that particular moment.

“She told him to get the boys, to bring them to her and all I could do was beg her to leave them alone. I couldn’t protect our cubs, Geta.” His hands came up to fist his hair in distress. “She’s still in my head. She’s always there in the back of my mind. Every time I move I keep waiting for that damn collar to jerk me back or to get hit again.”

Vegeta's face twisted in a pained expression as he watched his mate. What the beta went through was worse than everything Frieza had ever done to him, and he was feeling a bit lost. He wasn't sure how he could help Goku, but he did know that he needed to try.

The prince pulled the younger saiyan into his lap, and he coaxed Goku's fingers to release his hair. The alpha’s chest rumbled in a purr as he moved them so that he was leaning against the tree, and the submissive was half laying on him with his head tucked under Vegeta's chin.

“Karo, you can't keep everything locked up inside.” Vegeta threaded his fingers in Goku's spikes making the younger saiyan flinch a little. His fingertips lightly scratched over the beta's scalp as he continued to purr. “You will never heal if you do.”

“But, Geta…” Goku hesitantly whispered into the prince’s chest. “I don't want to. I just want to forget, and I don't want anyone to know what she did.”

“I know, but you need to. You can tell me, love. I will never hold whatever she did against you. While I didn't go through the same things you did, I do have a better idea of what you are going through.” The prince furrowed his brow in thought before an idea came to him.

“How about this…starting right now, you tell me one thing that iblis did to you every week.” Goku whined as he looked up at Vegeta. “After that we’ll never speak of that thing unless you bring it up. Please Karo, I want to help you get better.”

“How do you know it will work?”

“I don’t but I know after we fused and you saw everything, those memories didn’t hurt as much. I spoke with Bulma a few times to help get to a point I could be around Trunks without feeling so much rage.”

“You have to tell me something each time.” Goku said finally. “You have to do this too or I don’t think…”

“Fair enough, Karo.” Vegeta said leaning back and just holding Kakarot. “Can I ask something this first time?”

“Yeah.”

“Why do the tanks really bother you? I don’t think the medic got everything right with just claustrophobia being the cause.”

“Did -did she say anything about where she kept me?” Goku asked softly as he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his knees.

“She didn’t, Karo. She only told me about when she whipped you and what she did to your tail. Even then it was only enough to try enraging me enough to make mistakes.”

“She -it….” The beta struggled for words as he remembered every horrible detail when he woke up. “She was there when I first woke up, Geta. I couldn’t move and felt so sick. She took me to my room, dragged me there by the neck when I could hardly hold myself up. It -it was a cage.” The beta’s hands gripped tightly at his shirt, tight enough his knuckles turned white. “She kept me in a cage i-in her r-room. It -I -I could only sit on my knees or lay down and I had that –that damn leash on the whole time…” Vegeta wanted to hold his mate but stayed where he was. He didn’t think Karo could tell him if they were touching right now.

“She left me in there for days and I couldn’t get out. The tank, its almost the same thing. Father…she used the same words that first night making me go in…”

Vegeta just stared the beta in disbelief, and he felt his anger at the frost demon grow once more. It made the alpha wish he could kill that woman all over again, but he pushed it down to deal with another time.

“Oh, Karo…”

The beta fisted his hands in his black gi pants as he squeezed his eyes shut. He curled into himself a bit more as he tried to push the memories away.

“I can't…I can't be trapped again, Geta. I just…can't.” Goku's voice was so small, and it had the prince reaching out to touch the submissive. His mate flinched from his touch, but all Vegeta did was rest a hand on the younger saiyan's shoulder.

“When I was five, Frieza took me from my father. That demon threatened the safety of our planet all over a cub. He told my father he would spare our planet if he could have me.” Vegeta started as he stared off at the mountains in the distance. “Frieza locked me in a small room in the bowels of his ship as my father and some of his strongest warriors tried to stop the ship to get me back. Once he killed them, that bastard them blew up the planet anyway. In the span of minutes, I had become an orphan and one of the last of my race.”

Goku had moved his face out from behind his arms to look at Vegeta. The alpha ran a hand through his hair as he thought back on those days.

“Later, Frieza told me that my father had abandoned me and an asteroid had caused the destruction of my planet. Ever since that day, he kept a close eye on me and every now and then he would show me off like I was some prize he had claimed, that was the first and only time until now I met that bitch. It took me years to figure out that he had been the one to destroy everything I one held dear, and at that time I wasn't powerful enough to do anything about it.”

Vegeta's dark eyes shifted over to the submissive that was still watching him. 

“As you can see, I'm still trying to get over what he did to me. He kept me under his control for years. I've learned to take it one day at a time, and I use sparring to help with my anger. You know…” Vegeta looked over at Goku. “I still have nightmares from that time.”

“When does it finally get better, Geta?” Goku asked softly. “When will I be able to be around our family without feeling like….like…”

“I don’t know, Karo; I don’t think anyone has that answer.” Vegeta said while he settled beside his mate and held him when the beta leaned into him. “But I will be there for you every step of the way. All of us will, love.”

+++VK+++

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Vegeta asked the beta. Goku was trembling slightly as he stared at the large tank. “We can wait, Karo.” The beta nodded despite the fear in his eyes. Vegeta stripped down to a pair of tight shorts at the nod and placed his armor and body suit to the side.

“Are you alright with removing at least your shirt, your highness?” Selarp asked coming over from the console. “It would reduce the time you need in the tank if the serum has direct contact with your injuries.” Hesitantly Goku nodded and took off his kimono top. A sharp look from Vegeta silenced the doctor from asking about the pants. At this point it would just aggravate his tail anyways. Carefully Vegeta led Goku to the basin where the dome would slide down to complete the tank. The beta whined quietly once had both legs inside the tub.

“I’m right here, Karo.” Vegeta whispered to him softly. “Focus on me. I swear I won’t let anything happen to you. Once the chamber fills I won’t let go of you, just take slow deep breaths and relax.” The alpha explained helping the still frightened beta settle onto the seat in the middle of the tank and put the breathing apparatus on. He gave his mate one last kiss before putting his own on and settling in front of Goku holding his hands. 

The younger saiyan kept his eyes on the prince, but he jumped and looked up with panic in his eyes as the dome latched shut on the tank. He could feel his heart beat increasing, and his breathing did as well. His eyes flickered to the prince and he shook his head.

Vegeta squeezed his mate's hands to help calm the other just as it looked like Goku was about ready to fight his way out of the tank. The alpha made sure that he looked as relaxed as possible to show the beta that everything was fine, and that this was normal. He could feel the fingers holding on to him tighten their grip as the synthetic saiyan solution slowly filled the tank.

The alpha brought his tail around and stroked the tip up Goku's arm to help distract the other from the lack of room. Dark eyes flickered to the chestnut furred limb and back to his eyes and his muscles relaxed just a bit. The fur felt as soft as the fur that covered Vegeta's torso when he had transformed during the fight against Shiveria.

When the bright green solution touched Goku's skin, he flinched at the unfamiliar sensation. He looked down to see the liquid up to his waist, and he moved back a bit and his muscles became tense once again. He could feel his eyes become heavy with the sedative that was in the solution, and he fought against the drowsy feeling with a whimper.

Vegeta rubbed a thumb over the submissive's hand to remind him that the prince was still there with him. He could see the terror in those expressive eyes, and he brushed his tail over Goku's cheek that wasn't covered by the mask. He made a show of closing his eyes before opening them again to look back at the younger saiyan.

The submissive glanced back at the liquid that was now at their shoulders before darting back to the dominant. It was getting harder to fight off the desire to close his eyes; and when Vegeta nodded, he finally allowed himself to surrender to the call of sleep.

The alpha couldn't help but feel proud of his mate as the beta relaxed fully under the sedative in the solution. His tail slowly sank to the floor of the tank, and Vegeta rested their hands on his thighs. After observing Goku for a few more minutes, he also closed his eyes to meditate until Selarp let them out.


	51. Chapter 51

Trunks huffed as he waited by the door to Lady Tarro's Shrine for Goten to finish up his studies. The pair received different lessons now, and they hadn't spent as much time together as they would have liked. Especially after Goten got his mark from Lady Tarro.

Now, the younger half saiyan needed to learn more about the old ways before Frieza took over so he could be a proper Saibai-sha. While Trunks was happy for Goten, he really missed his companion.

Dokueki chirped at his feet as one paw stepped on one of Trunks’ boots, and the lavender haired boy gave his pet a small smile. He lowered himself so he was sitting against the wall and rubbed a hand over smooth black scales while he pulled a scouter and his multitool from his pocket and began to fiddle with it. The silver haired cub found it in his father’s rooms collecting dust and decided to see how it worked. It couldn’t be that hard to program since his mom managed to reprogram one without any knowledge of alien tech if he could believe her stories.

As he looked over the inner workings of the scouter, his mind started to whirl with different ideas on how to improve the gadget. From what his mother told him, the tech had a hard time with reading power levels above a certain point; and the circuits would fry. He also wondered if he could improve the communication abilities the scouter had.

A small smile started to grow on Trunks’ face as he tried to work out what he would need to test his theory. Besides, at least he would have something to do while Goten had to take his other lessons.

A soft whine drew his attention to Dokueki, or Kiki as Goten liked to call him. The little panzaon was sniffing around with its tail tucked under his legs. Quickly putting everything away, he stood up.

“Come here, boy, time for a bathroom break.” Trunks said scooping the pup into his arms. Lucky for Trunks the shrine was close enough to some stairs that eventually would take him to a courtyard near his Tama’s garden. Hopefully they could go play with him there after Goten’s lesson. He was helping the boys teach the pups some fun tricks. And while he would never say so to anyone outside the family, Trunks loved to curl up together under the tree and nap in the sun and just be with Goku, Vegeta, Vegito and Goten.

Turning the corner into the courtyard, the little alpha tried to side step an older male that was on the path. He wasn’t prepared for the male to bump into him and just keep moving. Trunks stumbled and ended up dropping Dokueki in order to keep his balance. He quickly checked his little friend who chirped at him before darting off to start sniffing around.

“Hey! Most people say they’re sorry when they run into someone.”

The man that bumped him stopped and turned to face the lavender haired cub with a sneer on his face. The expression made the boy tense as sharp, black eyes seemed to see through him. Now that he got a better look at the man, he realized he was dressed in one of the Council’s robes.

The purple colored fabric covered his arms and hung on the man's from like an open jacket exposing the solid navy blue armor the saiyan had that covered his torso and sides of his legs. He had boots like Nappa, but his arms were free of any gloves or gauntlets. His hair was fairly tame for a saiyan's, and it just touched the nape of his neck and covered his forehead in small, chunky spikes.

Trunks finally caught the alpha’s scent, and he was drawn back to the other's face. The cub noticed a scar that went over the man’s left eye, but other than that, this saiyan was unmarked like others he had seen in the palace.

“If I had bumped someone other than a darah kotor, I would have.”

The cub bristled at the insult. He had no idea what darah kotor meant, but he wanted to snarl at the words all the same.

“Looks like you’re pretty stupid and rude then.” Trunks smirked. “You can’t really insult someone if they don’t understand you, bata.” The cub growled out the insult their older playmates taught him. “And you shouldn’t be saying things like that to me anyways, or did your tiny brain forget that I’m a prince and you’re beneath me?”

Surprisingly his words didn’t make the older man growl or anything, despite the cub knowing he struck a nerve.

“You’re wasting my time zakur, I have better things to do that listen to your mindless-” He frowned and looked down at his feet, Trunks following his gaze. The cub’s hands covered his mouth as he stifled a laugh. Dokueki was squatting and had his leg hiked up as he peed all over the alpha’s leg. He really should be yelling at his pet for that, but the silver haired cub was willing to make an exception. The alpha on the other hand was absolutely livid.

“You little pest, how dare you!” he snapped before savagely kicking the pup away from him. The little pup yelped and whined when he hit the ground a few feet away.

“Don’t touch Dokueki you bastard!” Trunks snarled already moving to check on his friend. He didn’t see the blast forming in the other’s hand as he aimed for the downed pup. The cub turned to shout at the nobleman some more and froze seeing the blast pointed at his face as he looked up.

+++VK+++

Goku was walking down the corridor on his way to his garden. Vegeta had offered to take Gito for a few hours so the beta could relax in the sunlight. He let out a soft sigh at the thought of being outside for a little while. His smile grew as he felt his tail sway happily at the thought.

Being in the healing tank last week helped Goku out more than he thought. His tail was fully healed with no kinks or any deformation, his back was still covered in scars but he was able to move around a lot better, and he was able to growl and purr again. He still couldn't speak, but he could do more than before.

A spike in ki brought Kakarot's mind to the present as he got closer to the courtyard, and he stiffened a little when he recognized Trunks’ energy close to the spike. Feeling fear settle in his stomach, the beta hurried towards the energy.

As he turned the corner, he saw the lavender haired cub kneeling beside his panzaon pup with a ki blast almost aimed right at his face. Fear was on Trunks’ face, and that made the beta's instincts rear up. The shock of the situation was quickly replaced by rage as a red haze clouded Goku's vision.

A bloodthirsty snarl ripped through the air, and the adult turned to look for the source just as a hand grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into one of the courtyard pillars. His eyes came up to meet those of a livid Kakarot before the beta began to beat him soundly. The cub was watching in shock as his tama brutally attacked the nobleman and punched him through the pillar before pinning him to the ground and assaulting him.

“What the hell?!” Bardock said rounding the corner from the garden with Nappa at his side. He immediately went to the cub. Trunks realized at that moment he was trembling and he pulled Kiki closer to his chest. “Trunks, are you ok?” The boy nodded confused and unsure what was happening.

“Bardock, help me get your son off Retaso before he kills him!” Nappa shouted. Kakarot growled and slammed his elbow into Nappa’s gut between punching Retaso as the larger man tried to grab him. Bardock managed to loop his arm under his son’s and across his chest while Nappa caught Kakarot’s other arm before the submissive could hit him in retaliation while they pulled the beta back a few feet. The beta snarled and bared his fangs at the now bloody alpha as his tail flared and lashed behind him, all the while pulling against them as he tried to finish what he started.

“Kakarot, you can’t kill him! That’s enough!” Bardock sternly said trying to calm his son. “Kakarot, you’re scaring Trunks. He needs you right now.” The beta turned and saw his son shaking as he watched them. Bardock and Nappa shared a silent look of relief as the bloodlust in Kakarot’s eyes was replaced by concern before they released him so he could go to the cub.

Trunks latched onto his tama’s shirt with one hand and buried his face in his neck when Goku scooped him into his arms. The little alpha gave a soft whine when Goku’s hand came up and ran through his hair, a soft purr coming from his chest as he worked to soothe the cub. All the while his tail wrapped firmly around the boy’s waist to keep him close. While the beta was distracted, Nappa quickly gathered the now bloody and unconscious saiyan and quickly took him to the medical bay.

Eventually, the remaining trio settled in the grass out in the garden under the large tree. Bardock was the first to break the silence after he made sure his son was as calm as he could get.

“What happened, Trunks? I thought you were waiting for Goten to get finished.”

“I was, but Dokueki, he needed to go outside so we came down the stairs to the courtyard. You told me not to let him use the bathroom inside.” He said leaning back from Goku’s chest so he could both speak and check on his friend. The pup chirped up at him with a small whine causing him to smile a bit as he butted his head under Trunks’ hands.

“Ok, what next?” It was true they had told both boys to take their pets outside so he wasn’t particularly angry.

“Well, I tried to avoid running into that guy, but he bumped into me as he passed and almost knocked me down. He didn’t even say he was sorry or avoid me, so I called him on it because Mom always said you don’t let people be rude to you. He called me something after that, I’m not sure what it meant. It was something like dara koto, I think.” Bardock growled as his tail flared behind him.

“Darah kotor.” He snapped angrily as his grandson nodded. “Don’t you go repeating that, Trunks.” He said placing a hand on his grandson’s head. “Its something said to insult saiyans that aren’t fully saiyans. Loosely translated it means dirty blood.”

“Like me.” The cub said in a small voice. Goku nuzzled him, giving the little alpha a light squeeze with his arms. Trunks moved closer to the submissive as he looked down. 

“True or not he damn well should have never said that to you as a prince, and you do not have dirty blood.” The cub flushed.

“I kinda mentioned that when he insulted me, and I called him a bastard. He called me something else and was about to leave when Dokueki peed on him.” He didn’t expect his tama to pat the lizard on the head approvingly. The pup rubbed his head against the hand with a little purr.

“Serves him right.” Bardock chuckled a bit.

“He kicked Kiki after that, hard enough he yelped.” Trunks said petting his friend. “I went to yell at him and turned around to see him pointing a blast at my face. Then Tama showed up and….”

“And proceeded to go batshit crazy on that chitsira,” Bardock said with a smirk directed to the blushing beta, but Goku huffed and tightened his arms around the boy held to his chest. The older alpha narrowed his eyes as a disapproving look grew on his face. “You didn't have to go that far, Kakarot.” Goku growled back at his father softly while the tips of his fangs appeared. He didn’t give a damn, as far as the beta was concerned the alpha should be dead and buried for trying to hurt one of his cubs. Bardock just sighed and gave up knowing Kakarot wasn’t going to change his mind or feel the slightest remorse for nearly killing someone that threatened his cub.

“I’ll be back later, son.” He said rising to his feet. “I need to go tell Vegeta and his father what happened before the council finds out.” Goku just continued to purr as he wound his tail around Trunks’ own pale limb.

“Why is it so wrong to be half saiyan, tama?” Trunks asked a little while later and broke the silence. The little alpha was trembling as he tried to control his temper. “It’s not fair. I can’t help that. Why does that make people angry? I thought it was just Chichi, that she was just mean and crazy. But there’s people here like that too and I just don’t understand! They both said we have ‘dirty blood’, tama. Why does being half of something mean the other half is dirty?” The little cub ranted so frustrated he was on the verge of tears. Goku gave him a sad smile and hugged him close before looking his cub in the eyes and pointing to Trunks chest.

“Huh?” He tilted his head to the side confused. “I don’t understand.” Goku smiled softly and tapped his chest again. “Me?” His tama nodded with a soft questioning whine.

“Does being half saiyan bother me? Is that it?” The beta nodded. “No, it didn’t anyways. I liked being both, Mom said it made me special.” Goku just smiled and gave him a look of absolute agreement as he purred and nuzzled the boy.

“So I should ignore people who say that stuff?” he asked before Goku ruffled his hair with a nod. The half saiyan looked off to the side to watch Dokueki chase a bright green butterfly as he thought about what his tama told him.

“He's right, Trunks, and so is your mother.” Gohan’s voice got their attention as the teen came into the garden with Vegeta right behind him. They walked over to sit beside the pair. “Never let what others say get to you. Their opinions don't matter.”

“How did you deal with it, Gohan?” The boy asked his elder brother. 

“Well, no one really knew back on Earth other than our group. We didn't have any other saiyans other than your dad at the time, so I didn't have to worry about it. After Cell, I was able to live as a human for the most part. I'm not as in touch with my saiyan half as you are.” Gohan admit with a bit of embarrassment.

“Because your mom said it was bad, right?” Trunks asked confused.

“No, that’s not why.” Gohan tried to explain. “Chichi never told me it was bad, Trunks. She pushed me into being “normal” or “human” I guess; and after things with Cell, I wanted to be normal too. I was tired of fighting and everything it cost me. My choice to live as a human wasn’t because I thought there was something wrong with being half saiyan, Trunks. Does that make sense?”

“Kinda, I was tired of fighting for a while after the fight with Buu. I liked playing games with Goten instead of training after that, especially after all the training and fighting in the hyperbolic time chamber.”

“It was exactly like that.” Gohan said ruffling his adopted little brother’s hair. Vegeta was just glad Trunks wasn’t upset and seemed to be taking the older teen’s words to heart. This wasn’t something he could help his son with. While he knew how it felt to be insulted and degraded he never felt like there was anything wrong with him because of his race. 

“Are you alright, Trunks?” The prince asked as he looked over the lavender haired boy again. His sharp eyes trying to find any injury so he could have an excuse to put down the idiot that dared to harm his son. His cubs and mate were still his greatest treasures.

“Yeah. Tama attacked the guy before he could do anything to me.” Blue eyes looked up at the beta. “He almost mauled him to death. It was kinda cool.”

“Good.” Vegeta huffed while Goku preened from Trunks’ approval and cuddled the cub, almost smug in the fact that Trunks thought he was “cool”. “He's lucky he wasn't killed for his insolence. He would have been if I was the one to see him do that, let alone for saying those words to you.” He rubbed the boy’s hair as he placed his other arm around his mate's shoulders. He didn’t like having everyone out here in the open after not only just getting Kakarot home, but this recent threat to his cubs was driving his instincts crazy in spite of him trying to stay calm and rational.

“Let's get back up to our chambers.” He suggested. “We wouldn’t want to upset Goten when he comes looking for you after his lesson. Maybe you can help Raditz coral the other pup. It apparently decided to nest in his spare armor and the wimp keeps going on about how it’s trying to bite him.”

+++VK+++

“You want to train me to be a what?” Trunks asked later that evening as the cub and his parents sat down with Bardock and Tarble.

“Tau-arai.” Tarble gently corrected.

“It’s the title given to the Saibai-sha’s protector.” Bardock explained. “It was mostly to defend the Saibai-sha from outside threats, such as attacks by other races or when they are in a trance.”

“Like what Goten did in the temple.” Trunks said. Tarble nodded.

“Exactly.” Bardock continued.

“This is an important decision for you, Trunks.” Vegeta said. “You will have to train very hard in a lot of areas, including the way of the blade. You won’t have as much free time anymore or see Goten as often. Both of you will be learning everything needed for your new roles.” The prince explained.

“What if I don’t want to do it?” the cub asked hesitantly. The adults shared a glance not wanting to push the boy but reluctant to lie to him. They didn’t want to tell him these pairings ended up mated and force him to accept.

“Then we will have to ask someone else, son.” Vegeta explained. “Once it comes out that Goten is a saibai-sha, he will have to have someone already training to be his tau-arai or the council could appoint someone of their choosing.” Trunks nodded knowing that was a bad thing.

“Does Goten even want me to be his tau-arai? Why didn’t he ask me himself?” The little cub had some traces of hurt in his voice.

“We haven’t told Goten.” Vegeta explained calmly. “The idea was to let you have a choice in the matter, if he asked you himself you’d say yes whether you truly wanted the position or not.”

“While he doesn’t know yet, Goten has made it clear you are his choice of alpha.” Tarble continued, knowing more about this that the others. “You know saibai-sha have a mark right? Well tau-arai don’t have marks, but the saibai-sha…they are drawn to the alpha that can best protect them.” The little cub blushed realizing where this was going.

“Wait, this is because we said we’d be mates!”

“That's usually how it works, Trunks,” Tarble said with an amused expression on his face. It amazed him that the young alpha was so very perceptive at his age considering he picked up on the one thing they were trying to avoid. “Who better to protect a saibai-sha than their own mate? Since the two of you are so adamant on staying together, this will allow you to do so.”

The boy looked down at his hands in thought as he fought his blush back. While he wouldn't be able to spend as much time with Goten for now, becoming a tau-arai would allow the pair to remain unseparated when they got older. Plus, it would give Trunks something to do while Goten had his lessons. 

“If I agree to do this, then Goten and I will be mates for sure?” He looked at each of the older saiyans with a very sharp eyes. “And no one will be able to separate us no matter what?”

“That's right, Trunks.” Bardock crossed his arms with a smirk growing on his face. “It would be considered a violation of Lady Tarro's will if another tried to come between the two of you if you agree to do this. Not to mention that your tama would absolutely destroy anyone foolish enough to try something like that.”

Goku let a huff of air escape his mouth as he crossed his arms and looked away from his father at the teasing jab. Although, he couldn't deny that he probably would do something like that if anyone threatened his cubs or their happiness.

“So, when do I start training?” He asked the adults with determination burning bright in his eyes.

Vegeta smirked at his son feeling a rush of pride at his son’s decision. While he passed some of his bad habits to the boy, Trunks also inherited some of the prince’s better qualities. Seeing the look in the small alpha’s eyes made the older dominant believe that his boy will go far in life.


	52. Chapter 52

Goku twisted his fingers around each other as he watched his eldest type away at a computer in the med bay with a few doctors including Selarp. The teen had been scouring every bit of data in his search to reverse what that demented goat did to the beta. He leaned against Vegeta who was standing beside him as they waited for any news.

“I'm sorry, Dad.” Gohan looked up from the screen to where Goku and Vegeta were sitting. The glow of the screen flickered on the glasses he needed to put on after so many hours of searching. “We've gone over everything on the disk I brought, but there is nothing about what was done to your vocal cords.” Of all the things he found, details about his father’s biology, the punishments Shiveria inflicted on him, he couldn’t believe that the information about his vocal cords wasn’t there. He had read through every file at least twice but it just wasn’t there. The teen rubbed at his eyes both in exhaustion and frustration as he tried to stave off the tears in his eyes and finally admit defeat.

“So…there is nothing else we can do to fix this?” The prince demanded from the others in the room. His tail lashed the lashed as he growled.

“No, sire.” Selarp looked down at the floor. “If the healing tank couldn't fix the problem, and without more information on what was done, I'm afraid we can't fix the Prince Consort's voice. I am truly sorry, your highness.”

Goku let out a disappointed whine as he looked down as well. 

“There has to be something else you can do!” Vegeta yelled wrapping an arm around Goku to comfort him.

“We can’t, Vegeta.” Gohan finally explained taking off his glasses. “We don’t know what they did. If we start poking around….Vegeta, we’re lucky what ever they did didn’t kill Dad to begin with.” Goku and Vegeta looked at him concerned.

“Explain now.”

“I looked at the scans,” Gohan said. “They injected something that froze his vocal cords. If they put the needle any where other than that one spot he’d have stopped breathing and nothing could have fixed it.”

Vegeta's eyes widened as they darted to look at his mate who was rapidly loosing color in his face. The beta was quick to reach out and tightly hold one of the prince’s arms as he trembled over the news. While he had faced death twice in his life, he was finally happy, and he didn't want to leave his family again.

“You're fine, Karo.” The alpha immediately began to whisper to him as he gathered Goku closer to him. He could feel the younger saiyan bury his face in his chest as he threaded his fingers in wild spikes. “Everything's alright now.”

Gohan came up on the other side of the shaken submissive to wrap his arms around Goku as well. The teen shuddered at the thought of how close he came to loosing his father again. He bit his lip as he rubbed a hand on the beta's shoulder, and his eyes lit up as an idea suddenly occurred to him.

“What about Bulma?” The younger alpha asked Vegeta with a small, hopeful smile growing on his face. “Do you think she could fix this?” The prince met his eldest stepson’s eyes and a matching smile appeared on his face as well.

“If there is anyone that possibility could, it would be her. She is the most brilliant person I've ever come across.” The older saiyan pulled back to look down at Goku. “Do you want to try and see if she could help, Karo? If nothing else, we could always use the dragon balls to fix your voice.”

“Don'’t forget Dende and Mr. Popo, their magic might be able to help.” Gohan chimed in. Vegeta nodded forced to concede to that as well. Goku looked up and bite his lip, he hadn’t the faintest idea how to answer.

He never wanted to return to Earth, not after wishing Vegetasei back. It was a realization he came to during his pregnancy. He missed his friends on Earth and could easily come and go if he wanted but he hadn’t wanted to go back. Earth had so many things he wanted to forget and move past. Even if it meant fixing his voice was it worth it to risk seeing Chichi again? To see everyone from Earth now that they knew certain things?

“Dad?” Vegeta shushed the boy. He recognized that look in his mate’s eyes. This was a lot for the beta to deal with. The news they couldn’t fix his voice here was shattering, and it had to hit Karo harder than it did him.

“We’ll deal with that when he’s ready, Gohan.” Vegeta said softly as he helped Goku get back on his feet. The submissive gave him a grateful look before he started to walk to the door. “He needs a little time to think.” A sharp glare silenced the argument coming from Gohan. “This is more than a simple visit, Gohan.”

+++VK+++

The beta remained in a somber mood for the remainder of the day, and no one could distract him from his thoughts. At dinner he was so deep in his thoughts, his food went untouched, and he left to go think in his room.

His mind was still going in circles as he sat in one of the overstuffed chairs by a window. He tried to focus on the stars in the sky that were slowly appearing after the suns had set, but his faint reflection kept interfering. 

The submissive's eyes would drift down to his neck, and Goku had caught his hand moving to rub the skin over his throat more than once. Then he would catch sight of his smaller muscles and frame, and the beta would feel almost disgusted with himself as he took in the evidence of his time with the frost demon.

Goku felt like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place as he weighed the decision to remain mute for the rest of his life or go back to Earth and have everyone he knew what he went through. There would be no way that his friends wouldn't be able to figure out that something had happen to him with the way he looked now.

Then there Chi-Chi...

He shuddered as he pushed the thought of his ex-wife out of his mind. Seeing that there was no way he was going to make a decision without some more time, the beta changed into his sleep clothes and pulled the blankets over his head to try and block out the situation. He was so distracted that he didn't notice when his mate slipped in behind him as he drifted off.

Dreamscape 

Goku sighed as Vegeta settled behind him and wrapped him in his arms. He knew that the prince had allowed him as much time as he could, but now the alpha would demand an answer.

“Talk to me, Karo.” His tone was gentle.

“I didn’t want to go back.” Goku said getting to the point. “I was so tired of trying to fit in there without realizing it. Chi-Chi is still there, Geta, I don’t want to face her after everything. I don’t even know what I did to her after I took Goten.”

“So far as I can tell, nothing.” Vegeta soothed and nuzzled his mate. “She knows I know everything, Karo. After Turles delivered Father’s message, she tried to make Gohan go home and be human, admitting to her abuse of Goten in the process. The bitch slapped him and my instincts kicked in.”

“What! She hit him?!”

“She didn’t even leave a mark, Karo, and I broke her wrist for it. You’re mine, Karo, nothing that woman can do will change that. If it will put your mind at ease you’ll never have to see her again, I have no issue getting rid of her.” The prince soothed his mate before he got too emotional.

“No.”

“Karo, why are you defending her?” Vegeta moved so the beta could see his incredulous expression. “After everything she did to you, she deserves some kind of punishment!”

“She gave me my boys, and in spite of everything…Geta, I have my family now, I’m with my people with a mate who loves me. I just…I want to move on. There’s no point in killing her.” Goku sounded so tired at that moment, and Vegeta felt his heart being squeezed inside his chest.

“Alright, love. I won't do anything to the harpy…but if she shows her face, I reserve the right to defend you as I see fit.” The alpha huffed, but a smile grew once he saw the relieved look on the submissive's face.

“Thanks, Geta. I know it's hard for you to let that go, but thank you.” Vegeta nodded, but he still couldn't let his rage at the woman go.

‘I'm sure Bardock would be happy to deal with her if I asked him to anyway.’ 

“Is there anything else bothering you about going back other than the harpy?” The prince asked trying to get back on topic.

“I don’t want them to know.” The beta said as his tail curled around him. “And they’ll find out if we go back. One look at me is all they’ll need to figure out something happened.”

“Karo…”

“They’ll think I’m pathetic and weak.” Goku said cutting him off as tears began to fall. His hands fisted in the black material of his sleep pants. “I’m supposed to be the strongest, and then I get kidnapped and tortured before I was rescued.” Vegeta growled softly and nuzzled his mate’s mark pulling him against his chest.

The submissive did not resist as he slumped against the alpha’s chest. Goku tucked his head under the prince’s chin as he rested on a broad chest, and strong arms bracketed along his back and chest. He shivered once he felt the warm and wet sensation of Vegeta's tongue as it swiped over the bond bite on his neck. There was nothing sexual about the touch, all it did was help relax the younger saiyan further. He felt safe.

“Karo, no one, least of all your friends will ever think you are weak. You destroyed an army while you were a child, have battled countless opponents that you should never have been able to defeat and come out the victor. You are not weak, Karo.”

“I’m sorry you keep having to do this.” Goku said eventually as he leaned further into Vegeta’s embrace.

“It’s alright, I’ll tell you that every day for the rest of our lives and after if that’s what it takes.” Vegeta purred. “It will get easier, Karo, you’ll get through this. If you don’t want to go to Earth, I swear we will stay here. We can find another way to get your voice back.”

“I miss talking.” Goku said quietly. “I miss telling the boys I love them, teasing my brother, talking with you outside of our dreams. I want my voice back, Geta. I know its our best option but….I’m scared, Geta.”

“I know, love.” Vegeta just held him and let the beta vent.

“I don’t know if I can handle a month in a spaceship.” Kakarot whispered with a shudder. “I could tolerate the trip to Namek because I could train the whole way there and it was only a week. The trip back here was hard.”

“We don’t have to take a ship, Karo, there’s always instant transmission, which you still need to teach us by the way.” Goku blushed at the tone in Vegeta's voice. He still felt a bit embarrassed that he had never thought of teaching any of his friends or family that technique.

“But I need my voice for that.”

“Understandable, what if I went and brought Bulma here? Or we could go to the lookout and have her meet us there?” the prince suggested. “If you don’t want to see anyone from Earth, I’ll make sure that happens, love. This is your choice.” Goku purred and rubbed his head under his Geta’s chin. “I will say that your friends all miss you, Karo. They all worried about you when you left. They probably want to meet Vegito and see the boys again.”

“Trunks misses Bulma.” The younger said. “He mentioned he wished he could talk to her and tell her about everything here. I’m glad I’m his tama, but I know he misses his mom. To be honest I miss her too, Bulma was family to me growing up. Krillin too, and Yamcha and Roshi.”

“She misses you too, Karo. Bulma…she wanted us to be together, Karo, she gave us her blessing. No matter what happens, she will always care about you.” They were silent for a while.

“I’ll do it.” Goku said quietly. “I’ll take us to Earth. I need a day or two to focus and calm my ki down a bit more, but I can do it. I'll try and get us to the lookout, but I might end up wherever Piccolo is at. I can find his ki the best.”

“I'm sure the boys will love to visit, but we will have to go over this with Goten. I don't want him to think we are taking him back to that harpy.” Vegeta lightly scratched at the beta's scalp, and the sensation made Goku let out a deep purr.

“I want my father and brother to go with us.” The younger saiyan murmured as he arched closer to the hand in his hair. While it still bothered him if others did this, whenever Vegeta or Bardock would scratch his scalp like this, it relaxed him into a state of mush. “I would feel better with them there with us.”

“I'm sure Tarble would want to come too. He's mentioned how fascinating Earth sounds to him. I bet he'll beg to be included as soon as he finds out that we are going.” The older saiyan chuckled at the image that popped up in his head at the thought. “Get some rest, love. We will need it when we bring this up tomorrow.”

+++VK+++

“We’re going to Earth! I get to see Mom, Grandma and Grandpa!” Trunks shouted jumping for joy almost knocking his breakfast to the floor. Goku smiled and ruffled Goten’s hair seeing the uneasy look in the cub’s eye. Vegeta saw this as well.

“We’re going to see if Bulma or Dende can help fix Karo’s voice. Once that is over, we’ll visit and maybe get some things to bring back here before we return. I promise we aren’t going to leave you, Goten, I doubt we’ll even see your mother.” The little cub smiled as his tail wagged before he continued to eat his breakfast.

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Bardock snarled as his fangs came out. “You aren’t going without me and Raditz, and that’s final Kakarot!” Goku chuckled silently before helping himself to more food. He took some of the meat and cut it up into little bites for Vegito who was making a mess of his breakfast. “I mean it, you aren’t going with out us.”

“We planned to bring you already if you would let me finish. Karo wanted to introduce you to his close friends.” The prince said slightly irritated his father in law wouldn’t even let him finish the invitations. “We wanted you to come as well, Tarble.”

“Really! That’s great! There’s so much I want to see and learn about Earth.” The younger prince was very excited over the news. 

“I can’t imagine why.” Raditz grumbled. “It’s boring and crawling with weaklings.” He flinched at the glare from his little brother. “What! The average power level on the planet was 0.5! You were born a 2 and were able to tear them apart. I just don’t see what is so fascinating about Earth.”

Almost immediately, Goten and Trunks glared at the long haired alpha. They missed several things back on Earth that Vegetasei just didn't have, and they wasted no time in telling the saiyans that had never been there or really looked at the planet just what they were missing out on.

“We have all kinds of stuff that isn’t here.” Trunks defended. “You guy don’t have fun parks. Or dinosaurs!”

“Then there’s capsule corp! Trunks’ mom can do magic stuff! She put a huge house inside a pod the size of a bean.” Goten huffed as he crossed his arms. “There is even better food there like ice cream and ramen!”

+++VK+++

“Is everyone ready?” Vegeta asked as the nine saiyans gathered on the balcony in Goku's bedchambers. Goten nodded and hugged his tama’s leg tightly while everyone else nodded as well. Trunks wrapped himself around Goku’s other leg as he smiled in excitement. Vegeta grasped at his mate’s free arm while he held their youngest with his other. The remaining four adults grabbed onto the beta’s shirt and shoulders.

True to his word Goku had spent two days meditating to calm his still agitated ki. He explained to Vegeta that IT was more control than power and for a large group it was especially important his control was spot on. It also seemed to give his mate a sense of peace the beta had been missing as he felt his control coming back.

“Alright whenever you’re ready, Karo.” Vegeta said giving his mate a kiss. Goku nodded with a hesitant smile before he placed two fingers between his eyes and shut them so he could focus.

Tarble, Bardock and Raditz watched in awe as they started to flicker a bit when the technique took hold. Before anyone could blink they vanished from the planet.


	53. Chapter 53

Bulma gave a smile that didn't fully reach her eyes as she thanked her friends for coming to her birthday party at Capsule Corp. She just didn't feel like celebrating as much as she should, and she could see that her guests felt the same. The party had been going on for about an hour with everyone from the Z-fighters to their non fighting friends in attendance.

It had been a full year since Goku had left, and over half a year since Vegeta had left to follow him. She still had a hard time trying to get use to living without all of them especially Vegeta and her son Trunks. It has gotten very quite around the house with the two of them and Gohan.

A flash of green caught her eye, and Bulma looked over to see Piccolo chatting with Android 18. The two had formed a unique friendship over the past few months. A small smile formed on her lips as she watched the pair for a few minutes.

Piccolo had taken over as the main protector of Earth since he was the strongest out of the fighters, but it didn't look like that would be the case for too much longer. 

Krillin had come to her to request a gravity chamber for his own. Apparently, the short man had done some thinking, and he decided to start training again with his wife to help the Namekan out should there be a significant threat.

The woman's blue eyes glanced over at the buffet table that was still mostly full once she was able to get away from her guests.

Well…almost everyone.

“Bulma…” A deep yet timid voice drew the blue eyed woman from her thoughts. She looked up at the large form of the Ox King with a raised brow. “Has there been any news on Gohan or the others?”

“No, there hasn't.” Bulma sighed as she crossed an arm over her purple dress to support her other one as it came to pinch the bridge of her nose. “Like I told you last week, I haven’t heard from Gohan since he last told me that they had entered the solar system where Vegetasei is.”

“I’m sorry I keep bothering you, Bulma.” The large man said hesitantly. “I just…I really need to speak with him. It’s important. So could you let me know as soon as you hear something?”

“Ox, what is it that can’t wait until he gets back?” Bulma asked in exasperation. “He’s been gone almost a year since he left, and you’ve pestered me for months without telling me what you actually want. I don’t have the faintest idea when he’s going to come home or if he plans to at all.” The older woman shouted with tears in her eyes.

“Are you okay, Bulma?” Krillin asked coming over with Eighteen.

“No, I’m not okay!” She screamed as everything finally came crashing down. “I haven’t seen my son in almost a year. Half my family members are basically off planet, and none of them are any closer to coming back and to top it off they missed my birthday!”

“We miss them too, Bulma.” Krillin tried to soothe. “You know they’ll come home eventually. Remember when we were all younger, we had to wait four years to see Goku after the mess with King Piccolo.”

“I don’t think that’s helping, honey.” The blond whispered in her husband’s ear when Bulma began crying again.

“What he’s trying to say is that Goku always comes back. We’ll see him again and Vegeta and the boys.” Piccolo finished.

“Yeah, they’ll probably show up when we least expect it.” Krillin tried again trying to cheer her up. The namekian and other fighters blinked feeling a familiar surge of ki and looked to the left just in time to see Goku and the others materialize from thin air. 

Vegeta touched his forehead to his mate’s when they felt the familiar atmosphere of Earth. Goku gave a soft smile as he quickly took his cub and checked him over, worried about how IT could have affected someone so young.

“Goku!?” The blue haired woman shouted in shock attracting everyone’s attention. Kakarot tensed at the voice and looked over in surprise as did everyone else. There was a moment of stunned silence when everyone was looking at each other.

“MOM!” Trunks laughed as he flew over and jumped into the stunned woman’s arms. His exclamation broke the stillness and pandemonium exploded in a rush of different shouts with some people happy to see the saiyans while others looked ready to get in a fight.

“Goku!”

“-what are you doing-!” 

“-be dead-!”

“-not green man-!”

“-why did-!”

“-could you-!”

“-looks just-!”

“-my son-!”

“SHUT UP!!!” Vegeta's voice rang out over the others’ shouting. All eyes immediately looked in the prince’s direction as he stood there with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. He took a moment to glare at everyone there. “Your caterwauling is upsetting my cubs.”

The crowd blinked and finally noticed that Goku was behind the older saiyan with Vegito in his arms and Goten fisting the charcoal gray pants as he hid behind the beta's legs. The baby was whimpering as he looked around with his tiny hands holding tight to the white kimono top his tama was wearing. Goku was doing his best to calm the boys as best he could while feeling extremely anxious himself.

Murmurs that resembled apologies sounded from the assembly. The dominant narrowed his eyes at the bowed heads until he was satisfied.

“Good. Now…” Vegeta gestured to the side where all the saiyans still stood. “Everyone here means no harm so don't kill each other, and Raditz, don't antagonize anyone.”

“What makes you think I'll do that?!” The longhaired alpha shouted at the prince as he took a few steps closer the shorter man. Vegeta stepped up to meet the other's glare.

“Because I know you, hairball! These are Karo’s friends and family as well! Keep that in mind."

“The last time you were here you kidnapped Gohan and killed Goku, of course we don't trust you!” Krillin spat. “And you threw me through a wall with your tail.” Bardock glared at his eldest. 

“Hey, I apologized to Kakarot for that!” 

Bulma was drug over to Goku by her enthusiastic son while Bardock began yelling at Raditz. Goku looked up from his cubs and saw his long time friend.

“Hey, you big lug.” She said as she got all misty eyed. Goku smiled and pulled the blue haired woman close with a purr. Vegito giggled and reached out for her hair, his little tail was swaying happily.

“Oh my god he's so cute! What's his name?” The beta frowned and gave a pleading look to the others. 

“That’s Vegito.” Goten chimed in as he let go of his tama.

“Hey you’re being awfully quiet Goku, you ok?” Krillin asked. Bardock and Vegeta tensed and smelled the spike of fear come off Kakarot with the question. Bulma was close enough to see Goku freeze up.

“Tama got hurt.” Goten said tugging Bulma’s hand to get her attention.

“He can’t talk anymore, so we came back here to see if you or Dende could fix Tama’s voice.” Trunks finished.

“Tama?” Krillin asked confused.

“They mean dad.” Gohan chimed in. “It’s a saiyan term for betas like mom or dad.”

“They picked up on the term while Kakarot was pregnant.” Tarble said drawing their attention to him. “My name is Tarble, I’m Vegeta’s younger brother. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You have a brother!” Yamcha shouted as the others looked on in shock. “Since when!?”

“Since before Kakarot was born, idiot.” Vegeta growled. “Until Vegito, Kakarot was the youngest full saiyan. Our father sent Tarble away to protect him from Frieza and until we returned to Vegetasei I didn’t know what had happened to him. Personally, my brother was none of your business.”

“Since when do you go by Kakarot?” Bulma asked out of curiosity. Goku blushed a bit and flicked his eyes at Bardock and Vegeta since he couldn’t answer.

“Since his name is Kakarot.” The oldest saiyan growled defensively.

“But he hated being called that.” Krillin wondered aloud. “At least he did when the other saiyan’s we’ve fought used it. Speaking of why do so many saiyans look like you anyways Goku?” The beta gave a silent laugh and shrugged.

“It would be more accurate to ask why so many saiyans look like our father.” Raditz chimed in. It took a second for his words to sink in.

“Wait-”

“You’re his father!” Bulma interrupted the namekian.

“Did you think he just appeared one day?” Bardock asked with a raised eyebrow. “He’s my youngest cub with my mate Gine.”

“Sorry, it’s just a little hard to wrap my head around it.” Bulma apologized. “My name’s Bulma. It’s nice to meet you, I’ve known Goku since we were kids.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you. Goten and Trunks both go on about how you have “magic pods”.” He said as the group finally calmed enough to make their way inside. Gohan appeared to be introducing Tarble to Piccolo. Raditz and Yamcha were still glaring and trying to butt heads but Tien, Krillin, and Vegeta seemed to be keeping the peace.

Goku settled at a table and was letting Vegito play with his tail while the cubs raided the buffet table. Vegeta and Bardock sat beside Goku while Bulma and the others sat across the table or nearby.

“So what’s this about you getting hurt?” Krillin asked. “How’d you lose your voice anyways?”

“He probably lost it screaming as he powered up.” Yamcha chuckled. Goku whined and deflated a bit while Bardock snarled as Vegeta tightly gripped the older male’s arm to keep him from lunging over the table to kill the idiot.

“Shut your mouth.” Vegeta growled. Bulma saw red and slapped the long haired human making him fall to the concrete ground with a bright red handprint on his face.

“That wasn’t funny.” Gohan snapped. Piccolo nodded as he glared at the human. 

“You don't know what happened to him, so keep your mouth shut.” Raditz snarled in the direction of the other male as he moved to place a comforting hand on his little brother's shoulder.

Yamcha whimpered as he moved to sit on the ground while he held a hand to his face. Fortunately for his continued existence, the former bandit nodded and kept his mouth shut.

Vegeta gave the human one more final glare after he managed to wrestle Bardock back into his seat to make sure the message sank in his head. The prince pulled out a data disk that had the woman's eyebrow raising.

Goku tensed as soon as he saw the orange piece of plastic and gave his mate a pleading look as he shook his head. The alpha placed a hand on the back of the submissive's neck, and pulled him close so he could whisper to the younger man.

“Karo, these are your friends. They won’t think less of you, I promise. Bulma needs to know what happened so she can help you.” Vegeta whispered in a low voice. He sounded so confident that Goku couldn't help but believe in his words. He pulled back and grasped on of the prince’s hands on his own with a nod.

“Kakarot was taken a few months ago by a woman that was rivals with Frieza.” Several horrified gasps interrupted Vegeta, but he paid them no mind. “He was injected with something that paralyzed his vocal cords, and the technology we have can't reverse the effects.” He handed the disk over to the blue haired woman. “This has everything that's been done to him, and his most recent scans. We were hoping you could help him.”

Bulma just stared at the disk before looking up at her long time friend who was avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room with him. Her blue eyes could see the tension in his body that was smaller than she ever remembered, and she narrowed her eyes at the uncharacteristically subdued manner Goku had.

Her brilliant mind was running through many scenarios that could have produce this type of behavior. She instantly came to a conclusion that had tears gathering in her eyes and her hands moving to cover her mouth. 

Just the thought of the boy she befriended so long ago going through what she was imagining broke her heart, but a look of determination replaced her previous expression. Bulma got to her feet and marched over to snatch the disk from Vegeta's hand.

“Of course I'll be able to help!” She snapped at the prince making the saiyan smirk at the fire burning in her eyes and drawing all the attention to her. “You should've brought him here sooner! What were you thinking, you moron!?”

Her shouting had almost everyone in the room shifting away from her as she glared at the saiyan prince. Almost instantly, this made something in Vegeta stir, and he narrowed his eyes at Bulma.

“Who are you calling a moron, woman?! It was my idea to bring him here!” His smirk grew wider at the look on her face. He had missed his former wife more than he realized. “You don't have the technology we have! Compared to Vegetasei, this planet is in the Stone Age!”

“Oh really? Then why hasn't your precious technology cured him, huh?!” Bulma crossed her arms over her chest with a smug look on her face. “That's because you don't have the greatest mind in the universe! Me!”

Goku flinched a bit when Bulma came over and tugged on his arm for him to follow her. His eyes met her smiling face, and that made the beta blink a couple of times in confusion. The blue haired woman looped her arm with the saiyan's, and she started to head in the direction of her lab.

“Come on, Goku. I'll have you fixed up in no time! Oh! Did little Vegito like the toys I sent?” Her voice drifted off as they walked further in the building. 

The group just stared in the direction Bulma and Goku left in with different expressions on their faces. After a couple minutes of silence, Bardock finally managed to get his wits back.

“Is she always like that?”

“Every single day.”

“Shhh!” Vegeta turned to where the cubs were shushing something gaining the attention of the other adults.

“What are you two doing?” Vegeta demanded as his eyes narrowed.

“Nothing!”

“Just playing with grandpa’s cat!” Trunks giggled as he shouted over Goten’s excuse. “He must have missed me.” Vegeta just raised an eyebrow at the cubs as they broke into more giggles at their chosen table.

Puar was floating by the boys’ table with a worried look on her face as she glanced at the pale Yamcha that had yet to move from where he landed after Bulma smacked him. Just as she passed by, a rattling sound was heard making the cat turn around.

Black and white bodies launched from under the table with a playful growl as they tried to catch the shapeshifter.

“Miyu no! Bad Kiki!” Goten shouted as the small cubs ran after their pets that were chasing the floating cat.

“Ahhhh! Yamcha!” She cried out as she flew away from the panzaon pups.

“Why in Tarro’s name did you bring those things!?” Raditz screamed. Vegeta grabbed the human that was fully intent on stoping the pups from eating his friend.

“What the hell, Vegeta, I need-”

“To think before you die.” He stated bluntly. “Those creatures kill saiyans with a single bite. Think what it would do to you. Let the boys handle it.”

“They won’t bite, honest.” Trunks said as they wandered over with the pups in their arms. “We’ll go take them to my room though so they aren’t-”

“Oh no you don’t. You boys are so grounded.” Bardock grabbed the cubs by the back of their shirts and held them up before they could make their escape. Trunks glared at Goten who was grinning sheepishly.

“This was your idea.”

+++VK+++

“Aww! He's just adorable!” Bulma almost squealed as she made Vegito giggle by ruffling his bangs. She glanced up at Goku with a bright smile on her face. “I didn't thing you and Vegeta could ever make such a cute baby!”

The beta just silently laughed as he nodded his head. He thought his son was the cutest one he had ever seen and that included from when Gohan was an infant himself. Although…he could be considered to be a little bias. 

The pair had finally arrived at the woman's lab, and they waited for Bulma's computer to upload the information Vegeta had given her. Being inside the room made Goku a little nervous, but he knew that his friend wouldn't do anything to him without his consent and best interest in mind.

“His development is amazing and he looks so young. He's only a few months old right?” The blue eyed woman marveled as the mahogany haired cub played with a couple of colorful rings that Goku gave him from the bag Tarble had brought along on the trip.

The submissive nodded and held up the number four after he shifted Vegito over to one arm. The stupefied expression that appeared on Bulma's face had the saiyan laughing so hard that tears came to his eyes. It was a look that he hadn't seen her make in years.

“Ta.” The cub squealed as he handed one of the rings to the beta, one of his new favorite games. Goku just smiled and nuzzled the happy cub, ignorant of Bulma’s watching as the baby giggled and purred.

“You’re a great dad…tama….whatever you go by, Goku. I’m so glad you and Vegeta are happy together and that Trunks is so happy.” He smiled softly and nodded unable to do anything else, however when the blue haired woman got a sad look on her face, the saiyan tilted his head in confusion. “Goku, why didn’t you tell us, we could have helped you.”

The beta bit his lip and looked down at the shiny floor. He really didn't have an answer for that, and he wished that he could try to explain to Bulma why he felt like he needed to leave. Unfortunately, even then Goku wasn't sure if he could articulate what he was feeling at the time.

Just then, an alarm went off at Bulma's computer making the pair drop the subject for the time being. The woman walked over and typed on the keyboard to sift through the data, and as she read further she became more tense.

The submissive was torn from comforting his friend and running out of the room once he saw tears spring in big blue eyes. He cringed and clenched his eyes shut once Bulma looked in his direction, and he tried to brace himself for the words he knew were coming.

‘How weak are you for allowing this to happen? You're the strongest in the universe; you should have stopped this! You disgust me Goku! You deserved to have this happen to you.’

He hugged his cub close to his chest with a soft whine. This was why he didn’t want to let her see that disk; this was why he didn’t want to come back.

Goku was surprised when he felt warm arms wrap around his neck and tears wetting the shoulder of his top. He opened his eyes to see Bulma hugging him with her shoulders shaking with repressed sobs. Confused, the beta awkwardly put his free arm around his friend. He rubbed her back as he glanced as Vegito who was looking at the woman with curious eyes.

“Oh, Goku…” Bulma's voice cracked on his name after a few minutes of her crying. “How could anyone do that to you?”

Goku stiffened a bit at the question not fully understanding why she was asking that. The saiyan gently nudged Bulma's shoulder so he could look at her face, and he felt even more confused once he saw just how upset the woman was.

“I don't understand how she could do all those things to you. She treated you worse than a dog! Why would anyone do something like that to you? I'm so sorry, Goku. We should have never let Chi-Chi drive you away from us.” Bulma broke down sobbing inconsolably. “You were like my little brother, and I couldn’t keep any of these bad things from happening to you. I’m so sorry.”

Goku whimpered and tried to make Bulma feel better as he purred and continued to rub her back. Eventually she calmed down and got them some tea before sitting down at the computer again.

“We’re going to have a long talk once we get you better, Goku.”


	54. Chapter 54

“You want me to do what?” Gohan asked his grandfather, honestly confused. He and Tarble had accompanied the large man to the living room for a private conversation.

“I want you to take over the kingdom, Gohan.” Ox responded in complete seriousness.

“I heard that, but I don’t understand why.” The teen said in shock. “We never even talked about this when I was younger, and what about…” he trailed off not sure if he wanted to call Chichi his mother or not. Ox sighed, he loved his daughter but she was never the nicest of people.

“Your mother wanted to wait until you were older at first, and then she just kept stalling and was obsessed with you having a normal life. I was going to tell you when you were 18, but then your father came back and that whole mess with Buu happened…I thought I’d let you have some time to reconnect with Goku and try dating without having any pressure on you.” Ox tried to explain. “Chichi was never in line for the throne, Gohan. She never really got involved with matters of the kingdom or even tried to learn more incase she needed to rule one day. Not to discredit women but the Ox Kingdom is traditionally ruled by male heirs often passing to the first male in the line of succession.”

“But….why now? I’m flattered you want me to succeed you but why so soon?” Gohan asked. “I’m only 19, you can’t want me to take over right now.”

“I’m getting too old, Gohan.” The man said with a chuckle. “Sometimes I think you and everyone forget that I trained under Master Roshi with Goku’s grandfather. Gohan was older than me, but it wasn’t by much. I just had the fortune of finding a draught of youth that slowed down the physical side of things. I’m over 70 now, Gohan, and I’m more than ready to start handing things over to you. It’s not going to be an immediate thing, Gohan. I promise to help you learn everything you need to know before letting you completely take over by the time you’re 21 at the soonest.” Gohan was floored.

“Gohan, I think you can do it.” Tarble said softly. “You should really consider what he’s asking.”

The teen looked over at the younger prince in shock. He couldn't believe that the beta was suggesting such a thing. Didn't Tarble know that if he did take over the throne that he couldn't go black to Vegetasei? He wouldn’t be able to mate with Tarble.

“But…if I do take over, I won't be able to go back with you to Vegetasei. How am I supposed to court you if I am light-years away from you? I don’t want to be separated from you.” The alpha laced his fingers with the submissive's and pulled their hands up so he could kiss the back of the smaller saiyan's.

“Gohan, this is part of your heritage.” Tarble smiled at his chosen. “ I’m not saying you have to decide right now. I want you to think on it. And if you decide to do stay, I’m sure we can work something out so we can still court each other. We can have Kakarot teach us his teleportation technique.”

The Ox King watched his oldest grandson with a warm yet slightly sad smile on his face. While he wanted the teenager to take his place as king, he was feeling guilty over coming between his grandson and his chosen. 

Gohan looked from Tarble to his grandfather as he shifted through his thoughts. For the first time ever, the teen felt torn between his two races; and he had no idea on what to do or what was the right choice. The beta did bring up a very good point though. This was a part of his heritage, and he really needed to think things through.

“I'll let you know my decision when Dad has been cured, Grandpa. Right now, I can't give you an answer. I….I need some time….I need to talk with Dad…”

“That’s all I ask,” Ox said with a relieved smiled.

+++VK+++

“Alright, so you were injected here.” Bulma pointed to a spot on the neck of the 3D holographic image of Goku's body that her computer generated. She typed a few keys and the image showed the beta’s muscles and soft tissue at the throat. “The needle pierced your vocal cords and paralyzed them with an unknown solution.”

The submissive nodded once the woman looked over at him. His dark eyes watched Bulma as she frowned and narrowed her eyes at the image.

“From what the scans show, there should be no reason for you not to be able to talk. It makes no sense.” She ran a hand through her short blue hair. “The only thing I can think of that would give us more information is if I take a biopsy of the tissue. I could preform some tests to find out what was used on you.”

“Ta?” Goku stiffened and paled at the words a bit making Vegito look up at him in curiosity. When the submissive didn't respond, the cub whimpered as he placed a hand on his tama's face. “Ta? Ta!”

Bulma looked over to see her longtime friend shaking with wide eyes staring into nothingness. The woman cursed at herself under her breath and quickly rushed over to Goku.

“Goku, it's ok. Just relax.” The beta jerked violently knocking the stool he’d been sitting on to the ground as he pulled away with wide eyes. He turned to shield Vegito as he whined.

“Goku, calm down, I’m not going to do anything.” Bulma tried to calm the beta. He growled as she reached out to touch him and backed away before settling against a wall and whining and nuzzling his cub. Bulma just backed off and let him. She didn’t know what else to do. Her heart was breaking again. This wasn’t something she could have ever fathomed happening to Goku. Goku, brave, strong, kind, lovable Goku….this was wrong. He wasn’t supposed to be like this, jumping at shadows and flinching away from his friends. She didn’t know what to do.

The blue haired woman fell into her chair and sobbed into her hands. How was Vegeta managing to do this? How many times had Goku reacted like this to his family? She didn’t understand how anyone could treat a living being how Goku was treated. She looked up as familiar hands pulled her close and the soft purr from her little brother calmed her down. Their eyes met and she could see Goku was trying to tell her he was sorry. 

“Its ok, Goku.” She hugged him back wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry I got so upset. I should be helping you not crying.” He just gave her one of his old smiles, with only a shadow of his ordeal behind it as he wiped at her eyes.

“Goku, will you let me do the biopsy? Please, I might can figure out what is wrong. I swear, I only need a little tissue. You just need to let me use a needle. We can get your father or Vegeta if it makes you feel better but I can’t do anything more without it. If I was able to use blood I’d do that, but whatever chemical they used is localized to that specific area.” Goku whined and bit his lip in nervousness.

He wanted his voice back. He reminded himself that was why they came back here. He wanted to speak with his family and friends, to teach Gito new words and just be a parent to him, to do things he didn’t get to do with the other boys. His tail brushed Bulma’s arm as he got her attention before nodding hesitantly.

“Are you sure? I don’t have to do this if it will upset you, Goku.” To her shock Goku tentatively grasped the needle resting on a counter and of all things, he placed it in her hands. She met his eyes and saw the pleading and pain in them behind the fear that was obvious with the faint tremor in his hands that made Bulma’s heart clench again.

“Ok, I’ll do it.” She said standing and gently pushing Goku back onto the stool. “Just hold still for me, Goku.”

+++VK+++

“So Kakarot lived in the mountains after he came to Earth?” Bardock asked Master Roshi. “No wonder he enjoys the outdoors so much.” Roshi nodded. 

"His grandfather Gohan was something of a hermit, even more than myself. They didn't even have electricity or plumbing."

“I have to admit his home is one of the more beautiful mountain ranges on Earth.” Eighteen said looking away from the playing children. “I could easily see the appeal when my brother and I went to his house looking for him. It is called Mt. Paozu. It's in the mountains southeast of here just past the desert. If you see the ocean, you've gone too far.”

“So can you explain why you married someone that tried to kill Kakarot, and yet you still give me hell?” Raditz asked glaring at Krillin. 

“We could actually ask the same with you and Vegeta.” Piccolo chimed in.

“Oh no, green man, you’re just as guilty of trying to kill my little brother. I heard you during our fight. You intended to use your special technique to kill him not me, I believe your words were "killing him at the saw time was a bonus.”

“Ok seriously, what the hell.” Bardock asked looking around the group of people. “Who here hasn’t tried to kill my son?” Nervous glances were passed around the group. 

“Technically I think Master Roshi and me are the only ones, although some of his training methods could count towards attempted murder.” Krillin commented scratching his head. “Yamcha was a thief and Puar was his partner, Ox was known as Ox Demon King and was pretty evil for awhile, Oolong terrorized a village, and I’m actually not sure about Bulma. Maybe her parents?”

“She tried to shoot him when he attacked her car thinking it was a monster.” Vegeta chimed in having heard the story from both his wife and his mate. “To be fair he lived so far out in the middle of nowhere no one in their right mind would travel out there. From what he and Bulma said, the only person he had ever seen was Gohan before she showed up. He decided to go back after he married the harpy for some reason.”

“Goku has the strangest ability to turn his enemies into allies.” Piccolo stated as he crossed his arms. “I originally wanted to kill him because he murdered my father King Piccolo to stop him from taking over the world and because my father killed Roshi, Yamcha, Krillin, and Tien. I was created as he died for the purpose of continuing his goals. Although I think it was more because of Gohan that caused me to be friends with Goku.”

“My former master was an assassin hired to kill Goku.” Tien explained. “I was led to believe Goku killed him in cold blood when Master Tao died when Goku defended himself and another of his friends.” 

Bardock looked at all of them with a twitching eyebrow, and several of of the group looked a bit sheepish under his glare. Once again he asked himself what kind of people his youngest son lived with while on this planet.

“This is insane…” The oldest saiyan muttered. “Kakarot is a saiyan. He was supposed to be a ruthless warrior that would give no mercy to his enemies, and not make friends with them. How did he turn out so peaceful and kind?”

“Gohan, the human that found him, told me he fell down a ravine and hit his head when he was a baby.” Master Roshi spoke up. “Before he fell, he was wild and vicious. Kinda like a wolf to be honest.”

“That does sound like him when he was an infant.” Bardock interrupted as he smirked at the memory. “That boy would just about destroy or bite anything that you gave him. Little brat bit me several times when I was trying to load him in the pod.”

“Once Goku woke up, he was a completely different boy. One that was pure hearted and full of kindness. In all my years, I've never met anyone like him.” The Turtle Hermit started to chuckle a bit. “He does still have a habit of biting people.”

“Yeah! When we were on Namek fighting Frieza, Goku was being choked by that bastard's tail.” Krillin brought his hands up to his neck to demonstrate. “We were just about to rush over to him to help when he chomped down on Frieza's tail!”

The image had the group roaring in laughter, especially Bardock. It was all the alpha could do to remain upright as he pictured Frieza's face.

"I'd have given just about anything to have seen the look on his face." The alpha said wiping away tears of laughter. “Still, a knock to the head of all things...Gine's softness must have rubbed off, I guess he really does take after her personality. She would have been so proud of him.” 

"Gine?" Tien asked. 

"Our mother." Raditz said offering nothing else. 

"So where is she? Did she stay on Vegetasei?" Krillin asked as he and the others grew excited. Bardock and Raditz shared a pained look. 

"Gine...wasn't brought back." Bardock said quietly. It was his one resentment of his son's wish, something he would never tell Kakarot. "She died during Kakarot's birth. Apparently your dragon couldn't revive her as part of Kakarot's wish."

"The dragon can't revive anyone who died of natural causes or who was wished back once already. Under normal circumstances they can't revive someone that's been dead for more than a year either." Piccolo explained. "I'm still not sure how Goku got Shenron to bring all the saiyans back, or how it was within the dragon's power."

"He said it was something to do with the dragon rewarding him." Raditz said. "I was curious and asked him about the dragon balls. Apparently he's never wished anything for himself in all the times he's summoned the dragon."

"That certainly sounds like him." Yamcha voiced. "When we first met, he didn't even want to make a wish. He was just going around with Bulma so she could borrow his four star ball."

“Goku has collected them several times, and he's always wished for other people. I think the only wish that could be considered even remotely selfish is when Bulma and I wished for him to come back to life after he was killed fighting Raditz.” Master Roshi muttered as he looked up at the sky in thought. “Even that wasn’t done solely for him. If we didn’t have Goku to fight Nappa and Vegeta the planet would have been destroyed back then, or humans extinct.”

“At the point he fought Raditz, Goku was collecting the dragon balls for fun.” Krillin chimed in. “We had a lot of adventures over the years with those things.”

“Still…he might have gotten some of Gine’s softness, but I think Kakarot might be softer than her. She still had the killer instinct even if she couldn't fight like other saiyans. Though she didn't use it much.” Bardock shook his head. 

“Who's Gine?”

The feminine voice had the group look over to see Goku and Bulma coming back. The woman had a brought a handheld device that she glanced at every now and then, and the beta was pale and trembling. Both had unhappy looks on their faces.

Vegeta immediately got up to check on his mate, and the submissive almost plastered himself to the prince’s side as soon as he got close enough. He felt Goku take a shuddering breath as he buried his face in the alpha’s neck. 

Goku shuddered once again, but he seemed to be calming down relatively quickly. He lightly bounced Vegito a bit once the cub, who had been still and quiet, started to fuss a bit. He just didn't have it in him to do anything else to preoccupy the boy’s attention.

“Here,” Raditz said as he got up. “I'll take him for a bit, Kakarot. We'll go outside and play with his brothers.” He smiled at the grateful look on the submissive's face as they pair walked out of the room.

“What's wrong, Karo?” Vegeta asked as he lead the beta to a couch in the living room. He glanced over at the blue haired woman as he threaded a hand in black spikes. Goku just curled into Vegeta and breathed in the alpha’s scent.

“I had to take a sample of the tissue around his vocal cords. I needed to see if I could identify the chemistry of what was used on him. He's still a little shaken up.” Bulma answered with a tired sigh. “Before you ask, I told him we could go get one of you, but he handed me the needle himself.” Everyone was staring in shock at the shaken beta.

“Did you find anything?” Krillin asked her with a concerned look in his best friend's direction.

“Not yet. I'm still waiting for the spectrometer to finish analyzing the sample. Hopefully I'll know something soon. In the meantime, who is Gine?”

“Kakarot's mother.” Bardock said tired of the same question. “And before you ask, Gine wasn't brought back.” 

“Oh, I would have loved to meet her.” Bulma said softly. “What was she like?” Everyone perked up at that question. Goku especially, he never really thought to ask more about her aside from the comments his family made. The fact his father wasn't very good at hiding how much her not being there hurt him also influenced that decision. 

“She was the weakest, most soft hearted saiyan that ever lived.” Bardock said flatly shocking the group at the blatant insult to his own wife. He chuckled at their faces. “We used to joke her soft "disease" spread to me after all the times I had to save her when she worked on my squad. At the time saiyans were firmly under Frieza's control so mating and close relationships were outright frowned on and a weakness. We would have never sent our children to purge planets or away because they were weak if it wasn't for the Colds. Anyways Gine and I at some point just…fell in love. She quit fighting eventually and worked in the meat distribution district.” 

“She was a butcher?”

“More or less. Oddly enough that's partly how we spent free time. I'd hunt and skin the kills and she would butcher it. It was nice and had the benefit of making a huge nest for us.” 

Goku’s head cocked to the side at that, his father never mentioned that. It did explain why he brought a number of furs with them to the palace.

“So it's pretty obvious Goku takes after you, does Raditz take after Gine?” Krillin asked. Bardock and Raditz laughed. 

“Not in the slightest. My mother was tiny, she barely reached Father's shoulder.” 

“Kakarot actually has a lot of her personality.” 

“Not to mention the fact he nearly mauled you like mother did.” Raditz snickered before Bardock smacked the back of his head with a growl. 

“Just wait until you have a pregnant mate. I'm going enjoy watching you court death.” 

“I thought you said she was nice...” Yamcha said weakly. 

“Doesn't mean anything with a pregnant hormonal saiyan.” Vegeta shuddered at the memory of some of Goku's mood swings. “Or humans for that matter.” 

“Saiyans are territorial when pregnant, Kakarot not so much, but enough came out that he just like Gine about some things. There's a reason I hopped a pod for a job when both boys were born.” 

“You what!” Bulma growled out. “How could you leave your mate like that?!” 

“Alphas aren't allowed in delivery because our instincts interfere with the doctors. On top of that Gine tried to castrate me while in labor. You tell me which idea was the safer one.” Bardock bluntly stated with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh...” The blue haired woman just blinked as she said that. That did partially explain why Vegeta wasn't around during Trunks’ birth.

“Anyway…did you find anything out, woman?” The oldest saiyan asked Bulma. Blue eyes narrowed at what the alpha called her, but she checked the handheld device anyway just in time to see the screen light up. 

“As a matter of fact, I did.” Her fingers flew over the screen with narrowed eyes on her face. The group watched the scientist with bated breath as the seconds stretched into agonizingly long minutes.

“What?!” The sudden shout made everyone flinch. “This doesn't make any sense!”

“What is it, Bulma?” Krillin asked.

“What is this?” Bardock asked as he came over to see what the screen showed only to narrow his eyes with a displeased growl. “Shit…I can't read this, woman. Tell me what it says.”

“Basically, whatever was done to Goku was permanent.” Bulma said as she managed to split the screen into two different displays, one with the saiyan language and the other English. “If you had brought him to me before these compounds were added, I might have been able to reverse the effects.”

The alpha’s eyes looked over the screen with a sigh. He rubbed his forehead as he looked from the molecular structures on one side to the other. He reached over to enlarge one structure with a sneer growing on his face.

“Those are the compounds in our healing tanks. Kakarot needed to get some other injuries healed up. All of the different compounds must have caused whatever he was injected with to form permanent bonds. I bet that bitch planned it this way.” Bardock snarled in rage. That was why she let him stay injured, not just to punish him. She was going to eventually put Kakarot in a tank and effectively cripple him once the injuries were badly healed.

“I'm so sorry, Goku.” Tears appeared in her eyes as Bulma sank into a seat. Krillin and Yamcha both came over to place hands on her shoulders to offer comfort. “There's nothing I can do to fix this.”

Goku whined as his head dropped in disappointment. He also felt tears stinging his eyes at the news, and the beta leaned into Vegeta’s body once the alpha coaxed him. He buried his face into the prince’s neck to hide his extreme disappointment and sadness. He was never going to speak with his family again. He was going to have to live with this for the rest of his life.

Vegeta just held his mate as the beta suppressed his sobs. His last hopes were dashed, he expected his brilliant former wife to be able to fix this like she had so many things before. Even worse, this was his fault. If he hadn’t tried to get Kakarot over his fears….

“I’m sorry, Kakarot.” Vegeta purred softly uncaring of their audience. “We’ll figure something out, love, I promise.” It was such an uncharacteristic behavior from the alpha that no one dared say a word lest the old Vegeta return and murder them.

“Damn it, there has to be something else we can try.” Bardock growled as he paced, his tail and posture revealing his agitation.

“What about Dende?” Piccolo muttered from his spot against the wall. “He can heal just about anything. Perhaps he can do something.”

“Almost anything?” Tarble asked.

“He couldn’t do anything about some of the things Majin Buu did involving magic.” Piccolo explained. “I think he’d have better luck with this than medical science would.”

“I’ll go get him.” Gohan offered knowing his father wasn’t really up for moving again just yet. Bardock nodded and gave his grandson a sympathetic smile of thanks. Vegeta nodded without a word while he tried to comfort Goku. Even with the prospect of involving Earth’s Guardian, the beta’s hope was only hanging on by the thinnest of threads.

“I’ll go with you.” Tarble offered.

“Yeah, me too.” Krillin said standing. He could see his friend needed some time alone. Leaving Goku while he was hurting wasn’t something he wanted to do, but Goku needed to be away from the eyes off his friends. He and the others shared knowing looks before they made similar excuses to let the beta have some space. The former monk wished he could do more, to take away the shame his oldest friend should have never been made to feel. He stood near Bardock for a moment not wanting to look back at Goku and see the pain his best friend was in.

“I’m glad you dealt with the person responsible. I’m not particularly vindictive, but I hope they suffer in hell for what they did to him.” Krillin said softly. “I wish it was for better reasons but….thanks for bringing him back. If you need my help with anything…I’d do anything for Goku, we all would.”


	55. Chapter 55

Vegeta had carried Goku into his old bedroom after everyone had left. The prince figured it would make his distraught mate feel more at ease than remaining in the living room where anyone could come upon them.

“It'll be alright, Karo. I'm sure Dende will be able to help you.” The older man spoke in black spikes. “You know he can heal anything short of regrowing a missing limb. If he could have done that, I would've had him help with our tails.”

The alpha moved to look at the beta’s face to see if his words were helping, but the arms around his neck just tightened so that Goku's face remained buried in his mate’s neck. This made Vegeta sigh as he settled them on his old bed.

“Karo, I'm sorry. If I hadn't pushed you to go into the healing tank, we could have fixed your voice.” The alpha cradled the younger saiyan to his chest as they relaxed on the bed. He pulled off his white gloves to lightly scratch over Goku's scalp in an effort to help calm the other. 

The submissive whined a bit and shook his head slightly. He pulled back just enough so he could look at the older man's face. His black tail drifted up and brushed along one of the bare hands that the alpha was using to hold Goku to his chest.

He didn't blame Vegeta at all for this. If it weren't for his insistence, the beta could have caused more damage to his body or lost his tail.

“I’m sorry, I promise I will find a way to make things right I swear.” Vegeta soothed, not having noticed that the submissive denied words. “It's my fault you got taken in the first place. I wasn't there to protect you.”

Goku growled very softly and rubbed his head against his mate in frustration. He wanted to snarl and slap some sense into the prince. It hurt not being able to talk to him, to anyone, but this wasn’t his mate’s fault. He purred a bit and found himself nuzzling the alpha as he curled into the blankets around them.

“I never apologized to you for letting Turles take you, did I? I’m so sorry, Kakarot, I should have been a better alpha and listened when my instincts told me something was wrong.” The alpha’s arms tightened around the beta as Vegeta’s ever present guilt continued to pour out. “I could…Its like I felt your fear, that I needed to find you as soon as I could and I ignored that feeling. More importantly I failed you, Karo. I swore I’d protect you, that you would never go through anything like that again. I don’t deserve to be your alpha, Kakarot.” 

“And because I ignored my instincts like a fool, I allowed our cubs and Tarble got harmed as well. That…that bastard almost hurt Vegito, and I wasn't there to save him! If it weren't for the lizard…” He trailed off not being able to finish that sentence. “Sushi was the only reason we knew something was wrong Karo. He….I couldn’t find you Kakarot and I didn’t know what to do.” Even if his mate forgave him for breaking his promise, he didn’t see the beta forgiving him so readily for letting someone hurt the cubs.

“I should have listened to my instincts. I should have gotten to you sooner. I should have killed that slug that time he came sniffing around in the garden. If I had done that, you never would have gotten hurt. I can't believe I allowed this to happen to you…” 

Goku growled at his mate softly trying to get his attention though his mate’s rant. He knew Vegeta took his position as alpha seriously, but this guilt was wrong. Vegeta needed to understand he didn’t blame him for any of it. There wasn’t anything Geta could have done, if anything he should be angry Goku didn’t notice the drugs in their children’s food. It was neither of their faults and Geta needed to understand that. When growling didn't work, he decided he needed a more direct approach. 

"Karo, if you want to le-ouch!" He shouted grabbing his wrist where Goku firmly bit it. His teeth didn’t break the skin, but Vegeta was paying attention as the beta glared shaking his head.

"Kakarot, I'm trying to do what's best for you." The beta growled again, and the prince looked pained for a second.

"Ka-" Goku growled louder cutting him off revealing the tips of his fangs. 

(Not your fault....)

Vegeta started at his mate’s voice, sounding weak and like Kakarot was in another room instead of beside him.

“You….did you just…” the alpha was rendered speechless. Kakarot just gave a tired smile and nodded.

(Not your fault….) the words came a second time as Goku touched their foreheads together with a soft whine. (Don’t leave….promised….) The tone was scared and pleading despite the weakness. Vegeta’s eyes softened as he ran his hand through Goku’s hair when the beta leaned back slightly before cupping his mate’s cheek.

“Karo, I will only leave if you tell me to go. Nothing else will ever make me leave you. How…how are you doing this? And why not sooner?” His eyes shining in amazement at his mate.

(Hard…)

It was then Vegeta saw the stain that wasn’t in his mate’s eyes moments ago. The creases that were appearing around his eyes and ones his brow, telltale signs this wasn’t something Kakarot could easily do. He had heard of the technique, and it must cause enormous mental strain to be utilized or control Kakarot was still missing with his ki acting like it was.

“You’re amazing, Kakarot.” Vegeta said wrapping his tail around Goku’s waist. “No one ever tells you that enough. I promise I’ll get your voice back, I won’t break my word to you again, love. If Dende can’t there’s always the dragon-”

(No.) Goku said so sharply that the force of that one words made them both wince in pain.

“Why not, love? I’m only suggesting them as a last resort.” Goku just shook his head before he settled into the blankets again clearly indicating this conversation was over. Vegeta grew concerned as the beta’s eyes started to droop.

“Are you alright?”

(Tired…talking drains…me….) He said nuzzling into his mate and relaxing as Vegeta’s hand tangled in his mane again. 

“You can sleep, Karo. I’ll be right here.” Vegeta soothed. “If Dende needs something, I’ll wake you.” Goku nodded sleepily.

(Love….you…Geta….)

The prince smiled softly at the words that came as a soft whisper while his mate nodded off, purring faintly.

Vegeta ran a hand through his own hair as he looked down at the submissive in amazement. His mate was so forgiving that it humbled the alpha, and he felt blessed that Goku had chosen to remain his mate and bonded.

It made something in the older saiyan solidify his resolve to do anything to get his lover's voice back. Karo’s only selfish wish was to bring back Vegetasei, which to be honest Vegeta didn’t see so much as selfish on Kakarot’s part, but rather his heroic streak driving him to give a race destroyed by Frieza a second chance. Sure it gave him a place to run to and allowed him to be with his people but Karo didn’t do it to get his family back or become the tama of the next heir. Kakarot deserved to be taken care of this time rather than struggle to adapt to a disability. Even if it meant sneaking around and calling upon Shenron no matter what Karo told him. His mate needed to learn it was ok to be selfish sometimes, and that for all the times he saved his friends and family that they would all return that favor just to see the beta happy.

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts, and the prince called out for the person to enter as he shifted the beta to lay fully on the bed. After he covered the submissive with the covers, the prince looked up to see Dende and Gohan in the doorway.

“Hey, Vegeta. What happened to Dad?” The teen asked with a tired and concerned expression. The poor half saiyan had pushed himself hard to get Earth’s Guardian as quickly as he could.

“It's nothing, Gohan. Karo just wore himself out. Going through so many emotions at once tired him, that's all. Hello, Dende.” Vegeta crossed his arms as he greeted the young Namekian making the young teen freeze in shock at the lack of hostility in his words.

“H-hello, Vegeta.” The smaller male greeted once he got over his shock. He took a few timid steps up to the older dominant in the room. “It's nice to see you. What is this I hear about helping Goku?”

“Long story short, Kakarot got taken and hurt. The people who took him injected something in his throat to paralyze his vocal cords. When we got him back, we had him go through a healing session in our tanks to deal with his other injuries, but that made the chemicals causing the paralysis to become permanent. Bulma tried to see if she could do something, but she can't. I'm hoping you could help him, Dende.” Vegeta explained with a slightly pleading look at the end.

“I’ll do everything I can.”

The short Namekian hummed in thought as he walked over to the still sleeping saiyan. He narrowed his eyes as his hands hovered over Goku and sparks of light covered the submissive. Dende slowly closed his eyes in concentration as his mind followed his ki into Goku's body.

If Dende were to explain how his healing worked so other races could understand, it would be with colors. He saw Goku’s aura in his mind’s eye, the beautiful white gold he came to be familiar with. And inside it he saw streaks of red, pink, and black, the injuries that left lingering marks. Pinks that indicated scars, reds for wounds still healing, flickers of red-black that showed him pure destruction that was inflicted on the beta’s back and tail. Points of black littered Goku’s back and shoulders like bite marks except for one that stood out with a silvery grey aura, and it confused Dende before he understood what he was seeing. 

It was Vegeta, the mark was more than just a physical mark, Vegeta had placed part of his aura there, and by the seamless melding into his own, Goku had welcomed that mark. Out of curiosity Dende glanced at Vegeta in his mind, the saiyan had changed. His aura was always dark, stained by things Dende now understood to be things Vegeta hadn’t chosen to do, but now it was like moonlight except for a patch of white gold on his own neck. He smiled Goku and Vegeta had chosen each other.

Dende set to work, his own pale green and gold ki covering the colors that weren’t supposed to be there and “pushed” them away so to speak. The pinks and reds faded away but he could only lighten some of the blacks, mental scars that Goku would have to remove on his own. He made sure to get rid of the points of someone else marking his old friend, fading them to faint stains. Goku didn’t need those getting between him and Vegeta while trying to heal.

Pushing deeper into Goku’s aura he found more pink and reds that he pushed out before he found violet red that had to be Goku’s vocal cords. He let his ki move slowly over the new color. Dende had never seen this one before. Cautiously he moved around it and pushed a layer away. He slowly repeated this twice more before he found the problem, tendrils of white gold ran through the violet absorbing it, fusing with it. That meant Goku’s body was accepting whatever this violet color was as part of itself. He tried to repeat his method only for dark red to creep in.

The others watch in amazement as the scars began to fade on Goku and his body relaxed more as Dende worked. Vegeta’s hope grew as Kakarot’s soft purr grew loud enough to hear where he was standing. That changed moments later when Karo’s face twisted in pain and he whined loudly. Dende immediately snapped his connection, and they all saw Goku relax again.

“What was that?” Vegeta growled more out of worry than any hostility.

“Vegeta!” Gohan hissed, chiding his stepfather, but Dende held up a hand to quiet him. Gohan couldn’t see the bond the older saiyans shared, and he knew Vegeta wouldn’t hurt him.

“I’m going to have to try something else is all, this is a new injury for me.” He knelt on the bed and place both hands over the beta’s throat before using his mind’s eye for a better look. He slid through the layers searching deeper looking for a way to get rid of it. Finally, he pulled out sweating a bit from the force of his concentration. 

“I’m sorry.” The guardian said softly. “I can’t do anything more without hurting him worse.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s like when I try to heal a lost limb, your bodies accepted the loss of the limb and sort of, integrated the injury as part of it. The deeper I went the more Goku's body had accepted the injury as natural. I tried to root it out, but you saw what happened.” A bead of sweat slid down Dende’s face before he wiped it away.

“I don't want to hurt Goku more that's been done to him,” The Namekian said as he met Vegeta’s eyes. “I've seen the damage he had to deal with, and I don't want to add to that. He's my friend.”

The prince nodded with a sigh. He came over and ran a hand through Goku's hair and gave a slight smile at the faded marks that peeked out from the collar of the submissive's shirt. The beta started to purr again as Vegeta lightly scratched his scalp.

“Thank you for what you were able to do, Dende. Karo wouldn't admit it, but those scars bothered him. Both mentally and physically at times. Now he won't have to worry about that anymore.” The alpha looked up to see Dende blushing light purple over his words.

“So, that's it?” Gohan called from the door. His words sounded broken as he watched his father with sad eyes. “Dad will never be able to talk again?”

Seeing the teen before him look lost made Vegeta come over and place a hand on the younger alpha’s shoulder. His instincts demanded that he do something to help Gohan.

“No. This is not the end. There is still one more thing we can do.” Vegeta firmly stated to get rid of that look on his stepson’s face. “Dende, can you keep Kakarot asleep for awhile? He's not going to like what I'm about to do.”

“I'll be happy to do so. If you are thinking what I think you are, then I believe your plan will work,” he said with a smile as he pulled the chair from the desk to sit at the side of the bed.

As soon as the guardian nodded, Vegeta guided his eldest out of the room and began to determinedly walk to where the gathering was still going on outside. He ignored the questions the teen asked him until he marched outside and every eye turned to look at the two alphas.

“Dende wasn't able to fix Kakarot's voice,” The prince stated before anyone could ask him what happened. “But there is one more thing we can do to help him.” His eyes landed on Bulma who was looking over the black panzaon pup Trunks brought with him. “Bulma, where is the dragon radar, and have there been any wishes made since Kakarot used them last?” 

Blue eyes widened in excitement as a smile bloomed over her face. The woman dashed off without a word towards her lab. The rest of the group blinked a few times at the speed which she used before they also became excited about the prospect of using the dragon balls to help their friend.


	56. Chapter 56

Bardock stood by a tree at the edge of a cliff with the wind ruffling his hair as he took in the beauty around him. There were mountains and forest all around him with a stream that was babbling along not too far from where he stood. Wild flowers bloomed all around his feet, and a pale yellow butterfly floated by to land on a pink flower. He found this clearing following the woman, Eighteen’s, descriptions from her stories.

‘It's just so…green,’ the saiyan thought as his eyes slowly took everything in. He took a few steps to the edge of the cliff and crossed his arms over his chest. ‘I've been to many planets, but I've never seen anything like this before.’

The Earth was beautiful, and if the saiyans were still in the planet trade business, it would fetch a very hefty sum. He could easily see just why his youngest son loved this planet as much as he did. If he had been raised here, he would probably feel the same way. As it was he couldn’t help but use this opportunity to explore his son’s world. It was so completely different from Vegetasei with all the blue and green everywhere. The stories from the boys and Kakarot himself defied everything he ever saw, a planet so diverse and just….alive. It made him see just why the cubs were so fearless in their explorations of home. The very air around him was…peaceful for lack of a better word.

The alpha closed his eyes as he breathed deeply and allowed his shoulders to relax. Gine would have loved it here, they both could have been happy here with Kakarot and Raditz if things were different. Maybe even have been a real family instead of the broken semblance of one before Gine’s death. His head tilted back to feel the warm rays of the sun on his face and the wind in his hair before he opened his eyes.

“I suppose I better hurry. The boys will miss me if I stay too long,” Bardock said as he rotated his neck feeling it pop a little. He only meant to leave Kakarot long enough to see his son’s home while the others were gathering the dragon balls.

“GOKU!!!!” A loud shriek sounded from behind him, and he held back a wince at the volume of the shout. “HOW DARE YOU COME BACK HERE! WHERE IS GOHAN!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HIM!?”

‘Damn…Vegeta is right. She is a harpy.’ The alpha just ignored her as he waited for the ringing in his ears to stop. His respect for his son and grandsons went up a few notches if they were forced to put up with this and still not loose their hearing. Why Kakarot hadn’t killed her himself, or Vegeta for that mater, was a mystery. A smirk slowly grew on his face, and his fangs glinted as they peaked out from behind his lips. ‘It seems Leeke decided to blessed me.’

This truly was fortuitous. Kakarot made him and Vegeta both swear to not seek out the bitch while they were on Earth, made them swear to Tarro of all things. He agreed if only to keep Kakarot from getting upset and stressed out before they made the trip. However, it looked like the Changing One had other ideas and guided Chichi to him…or him to her as the case may be.

“How dare you come back here and bringing that alien filth with you. You look at me when I'm talking to you!” Chi-Chi shouted at a lower volume as she stomped right up to the saiyan that was still ignoring her with a growl. She reached up to grab at the green armor Bardock wore as she continued to yell. “I told you-!”

She was cut off with a gasp as the dominant turned to grip her hand in a tight hold. Her eyes widened as she finally took a closer look at the man in front of her, and the blood drained from her face once she realized that this was not her ex-husband.

“I see it finally dawned on you, bitch. I am not my son.” Bardock's fangs appeared in full as he gave the woman a twisted, feral smirk. He let out a dark chuckle as Chi-Chi used her other hand to try and claw off the hand holding her captive by her wrist. All in all the woman looked very much like a saiyan, and he could see where any initial attraction his son had could have come from, especially considering Kakarot was a beta and instinctually needed a strong partner.

The alpha effortlessly pulled her closer to him and slammed the black haired woman up against the tree he was standing beside. The impact knocked the breath out of Chi-Chi, and her eyes looked up at Bardock in fear. She shrank down as his shadow covered her body as the saiyan loomed over her. He planned to make her feel as much fear as she put into his son and grandson.

“You heard right, my son.” Bardock snarled. “I’ve heard a great deal about you and the things you did to him and my grandson. You and I are going to have a little chat.”

+++VK++

“That makes six dragon balls.” Bulma said as she placed the two orbs Trunks handed her with the others. “All we’re missing is the four star ball.”

“Dad’s getting it.” The nine year old said sitting beside Goten on the couch. The small beta was nervous about leaving the building, afraid Chi-Chi would show up and it showed despite the reassurances otherwise. “It was at the bottom of some underwater cavern.”

“Then it shouldn't be too much longer.” The blue haired woman muttered as she looked up at Capsule Corp. with her eyes landing on the window where Goku was sleeping. There was excitement slowly growing as the group waited on the saiyan prince to return.

The atmosphere even made Goten relax a little until he noticed that someone other than his father was missing. The cub looked around with a confused expression on his face. He looked up at his future mate.

“Hey, where's grandpa?” The little beta's voice timidly asked. He felt his nerves increase without having either his grandfather, father, or tama within eyesight. Trunks blinked at the question with a raised eyebrow, and Goten bit his lip as he continued. “Didn't grandpa go with you?”

“I'm here, Mahana,” Bardock's rough voice sounded from behind the cubs. He was wiping the scar free cheek with one of his crimson arm warmers as he dropped down to sit beside the relieved boy. “I just wanted to look around a little, that's all.”

Goten immediately scurried onto the alpha's lap with his hands and tail wrapping around one of the older man's arms. The boy shuddered as he felt the safety his grandfather provided, but he still couldn't help but glance around Bulma's backyard with slightly fearful eyes. 

Bardock's chest rumbled as a purr came out, and he scratched at the small submissive's scalp. He moved one leg so the boy could use it as a backrest. Goten purred as he melted into his grandfather’s touch.

“You’re safe, mahana, your father wouldn’t have left you with me and everyone otherwise.” Bardock said roughly. “You’ve got all of us here as well, that woman won’t touch you again, cub.” Goten slowly relaxed and his purr grew louder, but he didn’t leave the safety of his grandsire’s lap.

“So…have I missed anything?” Bardock asked to shift attention away from the youngest beta.

“Not really, just everyone coming back with dragon balls.” Tarble said where he sat beside a dozing Gohan, the flight to the look out really having worn him out as he lay with he head in Tarble’s lap. “They're interesting. It looks like they glow when near each other.” 

Bardock looked skeptically at the pulsing amber stones. He didn't exactly understand how you could just summon a being able to grant almost any wish, but he was proof it worked considering he remembered being dead in vivid detail. 

“So we're summoning a dragon god, and he'll fix Kakarot's voice?” 

“Shenron's not a god.” Bulma said confused where the idea even came from. 

“How is he not a god?” Tarble asked truly puzzled as he tilted his head to the side. “He had the power to revive many of our race and our planet. Gods have that kind of power to your people don't they?”

Bulma opened her mouth and closed it before looking at Krillin and the others for help. They've never needed to explain how the dragon balls worked before, and the blue haired woman wasn't sure how to without confusing herself and the others.

“I suppose they do, but Shenron draws his power from the guardian of Earth.” Piccolo spoke from his spot near Gohan and Tarble. “Before Dende became the current guardian, my other half, Kami, was the previous guardian. He created the dragon balls here on Earth.”

“So…does this mean that Namekians can become gods?” The younger prince furrowed his brow as he tried to follow along.

“No. Namekians are just different from other races, and becoming the guardian of a planet also has something to do with it. Shenron can only grant wishes that are within Dende’s power. For example, if you wish for a suit of armor, you'll get one. Both Dende and myself can create things by using our own ki, so the dragon uses that ability to grant the wish. Bringing a person back to life from the dead is a little trickier. Dende, as a guardian, can travel to otherworld and bring a soul with him. He also possesses the ability to heal a physical body, or, by using the soul as a template, he can create a body with his ki. Unfortunately, by doing this drains him of his power to the point where he would need a lot of time to recover.”

“Is that why the dragon balls go dormant for a year after the wishes are made?” Krillin asked. 

“Yes. If the dragon balls didn't go dormant, the rapid wishing would cause Dende to die.” Piccolo said as his eyes glanced over at the human before looking back at the saiyans.

“What about when we ask for a large number of people to be brought back?” Yamcha had a concerned tone in his voice. “Wouldn't that cause a strain on Dende as well?”

“Originally, Kami created the dragon balls a couple of centuries ago, and they were hardly used at all. It wasn't until Bulma invented the dragon radar that they started to be used more frequently. They and Shenron were able to store power from Kami for every year they went unused. They also siphon some power and ki from Dende about every month. Since he's so young, he can afford for that to happen. I think the reserves made by the dragon balls will last for some time.”

“Ah, so essentially, the dragon is like an extension of the Namek that created it in the first place, right?” Bardock asked with a raised brow.

“To put it simply, yes.” Piccolo nodded with a frown. “The whole concept of Shenron and the dragon balls are difficult to understand unless you were the one to make them. The only reason I know as much as I do is due to the fact that I rejoined with Kami and got his memories.”

“I see.” Tarble said a moment later. “So how does the materialization of objects with ki work?” A sleepy chuckle drew everyone’s attention to Tarble’s lap where Gohan was staring up at the beta half asleep.

“You just have to know how something works, don’t you?”

“You’re just as bad, tahu.” Tarble teased with a smile as his fingers ran through the younger alpha’s hair. “How are you feeling?”

“Still tired, I thought I had more endurance.”

“I told you, you didn’t need to carry Dende and myself back. No offense to anyone, but there isn’t much here that could hurt me from what I understand.”

“Haha…how many dragon balls did they find?” The teen asked looking around.

“We just need one more, your dad’s dragon ball actually.” Bulma said. A smile crossed the sleepy alpha’s face as he breathed in the soft orange blossom scent of the beta. He was beginning to understand why his dad liked laying with Vegeta like this. If they smelled to each other like Tarble did to him, it certainly explained things. He couldn’t believe how much more he relied on his sense of smell after going to Vegetasei and realizing all the urges he ignored growing up were just part of being a saiyan.

“Hey Gohan, what was it Ox wanted?” Bulma asked snapping him out of his thoughts. “He asked me if I knew where you were for months, but he would never say why.”

“Oh, that….He wants me to take over as King.” The alpha said quietly. Raditz immediately did a spit take at the word king making Vegito laugh while Bardock snapped his head to look at his eldest grandchild.

“King!? Kakarot married royalty?” Bardock said in stunned disbelief.

“Its hard to believe when you look at how Goku lived and the boys were raised.” Bulma said.

“You don't look happy about this.” Bardock said studying his grandson. The younger dominant shrugged as he shifted on Tarble’s lap.

“I never really thought about it. Grandpa Ox always seemed so young and strong. It never crossed my mind that I'd be his successor. It's just a lot to take in on top of everything else. I don't want to leave dad and things on Vegetasei right now.” 

“We can work things out, Gohan.” Tarble soothed as he pet Gohan's hair, and the young alpha purred at the feeling. The tender action drew some looks from the humans and namekian, but the pair didn't seem to notice.

“Gohan and Tarble are gonna mate.” Goten chirped from Bardock's lap when he noticed the confused expression on his friends’ faces. 

“Wait, what?” Bulma asked confused as both Gohan and Tarble blushed causing Gohan to sit up. 

“They're still courting, cub.” The old saiyan said ruffling the chibi's hair with a chuckle. 

“So you two are...dating?” Yamcha questioned. 

“Yeah, something like that....” Gohan said as he rubbed the back of his head. Everyone on Vegetasei was aware they were courting so it was awkward to have it pointed out. 

“You two are so cute together!” Bulma cheered. “I hope it works out for you!” 

“I guess saiyans are just more attracted to other saiyans.” Krillin commented as he realized all the earth saiyans were finding partners with other saiyans. 

“It's not that.” Tarble stated drawing their attention. “There were a lot of mixed race matings in the past. They didn't result in children very often though if the species are incompatible. Saiyans just sort of...wow this hard to explain.” The younger prince furrowed his brow as he tried to sort out his words.

“Saiyans can tell who the best partner for them is, it's more noticeable in betas and females, but alphas have it just the same. It's not always obvious or quick but true matings are rarely broken by anything less than death. That doesn't mean saiyans always get it right, some are pressured, some chose to ignore it, some mistake lust for their mtima-anake.”

“Their what?” Krillin asked not understanding the last term.

“I don't think there's a word in your language,” Bardock explained as he thought. “The closest would be soulmate, at least from how I understand the term. A literal translation in your language would be heart’s light.” 

“Oh! That's so romantic!” Bulma exclaimed as she clapped her hands together and brought them up to her face.

“Vegeta's back.” Gohan's tired voice caused any further questions to stop. He shook his head to get further awake as the rest of the group watched the saiyan prince stop in the sky and fell down to land on his feet close to Bulma. Water dripped from his body, and his spiky hair was almost flat from the weight of the liquid.

The alpha grumbled as he handed the woman the four star ball, then he yanked his armor over his head with a snarl. He shook the plated mass; and several fish, a crab, and seaweed came falling out with wet plops. When he looked inside the armor to see if he got everything, something wriggled in the back of his body suit.

“Damn it!” The prince twisted around trying to reach whatever was in his suit, but he couldn't reach it. He glared at the group that was staring and fighting laughter as they watched Vegeta contort himself. “Don't just stand there, get this thing out!”

Gohan was the first to stand, and he pulled the back of the suit to reach inside the stretchy material. He pulled out an eel that had the prince shuddering as the slimy texture slid along his skin. Vegeta turned around and violently took the creature only to throw it near the boys’ pets, where they immediately started to attack it.

“Don't you dare summon the dragon yet, woman! I'm not going to wish for anything until I get clean!” Vegeta snarled out as he grabbed his armor and stomped towards the house. “Damn fish! After this is all said and done, I'm going to find that blasted thing and make sushi!”

Gohan waited for a few minutes before he followed his stepfather. He needed some advice, and the prince was the best one to give it while his dad was still unconscious.

++VK++

“So…you are going to rule a country on this planet.” Vegeta stated more than asked. He had just gotten out of the shower and was remarkably calmer. He riffled through the draws in his gravity chamber for a spare suit while he listened to the oldest half saiyan.

“It's not like I asked for it, Vegeta. I haven't even said yes.” Gohan snapped back at the older man, and Vegeta's sharp look cowed any more arguments from the teen. 

“You and I both know you'll say yes simply out of a sense of duty. Now, why exactly aren't you happy about this?” He pulled out a blue body suit and threw it to the side as he moved to find gloves next. Once he found a pair, the prince turned his back to Gohan and stared to dress making the half saiyan flush for a moment.

“I...what is Dad gonna say? He's still recovering from everything and I don't want to-” The poor teen looked overwhelmed much to the amusement of the older alpha.

“Kakarot would be happy no matter what you did as long as you were happy. He'd be pissed if he found out you were using him as an excuse. I know his opinion is important to you but he and the green man raised you to not need anyone. And the attraction you have for my brother better not be the next thing out of your mouth.” The prince barked at his eldest, cutting him off. “Tarble obviously has no problem with this. So what is bothering you?”

“I don't know if I can do this.” The words were whispered softly. Vegeta smirked and leaned against the building so he could pull on his boots.

“Join the club.” 

“Shut- wait did you-”

“Agree? Yes.” Vegeta said as he smoothed his hair back in its flame shape. “Ruling is not something you can truly prepare for. You're about to inherit a country; I'm slated to rule an entire race. You can learn and prepare but ultimately you can either do the job well or you can’t.” 

“But,” Gohan just sputtered in shock. “You- you used to boast you were the prince of all saiyans, you still do at times. I would have thought...”

“That I’d jump for joy and rub it in everyone's faces after I was named successor? There's a reason it was always "prince" and not "king", Gohan. As a king you are accountable to your people, your decisions affect everything and the responsibility is yours alone. Princes have power true but king is a whole different level. As a prince you can make mistakes and most of the time the king can step in and fix mistakes. Kings can defend their people.”

“That's why I don’t think I can do this. How can I lead a country when I couldn't protect my little brother? When I didn't even notice the cruel things Chi-Chi did? What if I do the same thing to all the people I’m supposed to lead?”

“That's precisely why you are a good choice.” Vegeta gave the teen an uncharacteristic gentle look as he finished getting dressed.

“Because I'm clueless?” Gohan asked with a bewildered tone.

“Because you are aware you have flaws and are so worried about doing a good job.” The prince came over to stand in front of Gohan, and he put a hand on the teen's shoulder. “Knowing your limits is important for one in a ruling position. This will make you think about things instead of rushing head first with no regard whatsoever. Just remember that everyone still has a lot to learn no matter how old or prepared they may be. You can do this.”

“Vegeta…I-” Gohan stopped as he tried to sort through his thoughts. “I don't want to leave. I want to stay on Vegetasei with my family and…Tarble. I don't want to be separated again. I wish there was a way to go back and forth between Earth and Vegetasei faster than with ships.”

Vegeta watched the younger male as his eyes fell to the floor before a faint smile appeared on his face. ‘It seems like my brother will be well taken care of after all. I had no doubt on Gohan’s character, but now I know he's the one for Tarble,’ the prince thought with a smile.

“Gohan, I think you're forgetting something.” The teen looked at his stepfather in confusion. “We have the dragon balls outside, and I only have one wish in mind. I think we could use the other to resolve your problem.”

Gohan blinked a couple of times before a smile broke out on his face. Seems things were looking up after all.  



	57. Chapter 57

Vegeta just stared down at the glowing orbs with a slight twisted smirk. The rest of the group had listened to Bulma when she said that the saiyan prince should be the one to make the wish without complaint.

‘Ironic…,’ Vegeta thought to himself. ‘For years I've wanted to wish for immortality so I could live in paradise by fighting forever, but now that I'm here,…I'm making a wish for the benefit of another.’ The alpha shook his head in bemusement. Then his smirk turned into a leer. ‘Although…I suppose some of my wish will be selfish.’

“Daddy?” Goten came up to grip the prince's leg drawing the elder’s eyes down to him. He looked up at the dominant with unsure eyes. “Will Shenron be able to help Tama?”

“I'm sure he will, tesoro. He can do almost anything, remember?” Vegeta reached down to ruffle the wild spikes on the cub’s head. Once he straightened up, he curled his tail around the small beta before looking back around him one last time.

Trunks came up to his other side with Tarble following behind him with a fascinated expression while Bardock, Raditz, and Vegito, in his grandfather's arms, came to stand behind Goten. The humans and namekian were looking on behind the alpha a couple feet away, and the excitement rose once Vegeta held his hands over the dragon balls.

“Eternal Dragon, Shenron! I summon you by your name to grant my wish! Come forth!” For a few long seconds, nothing happened, making everything pause for just a moment. The prince let out a breath he unconsciously held as the sky began to darken and the orbs flashed brighter and quicker.

The large blast of golden light had everyone gasping as it soared into the clouded sky. It twisting in on itself until it flashed with a bellowing roar, revealing the green scales that covered the majority of the dragon.

Goten and Trunks just laughed at the sight of the majestic creature while Vegito stared up with wide eyes. The saiyans that hadn't seen Shenron before gasped and gawked at the sight of the reptile moving so he could get closer to Vegeta, and Bardock couldn't help but hold the baby closer to his chest.

“YOU WHO HAVE GATHERED THE SEVEN DRAGON BALLS…I SHALL GRANT YOU TWO WISHES!!!” The voice of the dragon rumbled like thunder, and every person gathered before him could feel the vibrations in their bones.

“Two wishes?” Krillin muttered but everyone heard him anyway. “I thought he could grant three wishes…”

“YOU ARE CORRECT, BUT LAST TIME I GRANTED A PURE SOUL A WISH THAT USED MUCH OF MY POWER!” The answer had the black haired human flinching. “THEREFORE, I CAN ONLY GRANT TWO AT THIS TIME!”

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at this information, but shrugged it off. He only needed the one wish after all, and he took a step forward.

“Almighty Shenron! My mate, Kakarot, was taken and harmed not too long ago. I wish for all the injuries and marks that were placed upon his body with the intent to harm to be healed!” The prince clinched his hands as he waited for the response, hoping his wording was enough for the dragon.

While it was impossible to tell, Shenron seemed to be looking specifically at Vegeta. The solid, crimson eyes flashed before giving off a steady glow. The massive creature seemed to frown as he used his powers, but then the glow ceased before Vegeta could worry.

“YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED!” Everyone smiled and Vegeta visibly relaxed. "I HAVE RESTORED THE ONE NAMED KAKAROT TO AN UNINJURED STATE. MAKE YOUR FINAL WISH!"

"Kinda pushy, isn't he?" Bardock muttered as he held Vegito close. The baby looked up at the green serpentine body with wide eyes, but Shenron’s voice made the cub shrink closer to his grandfather's chest.

"What else do we wish for?" Bulma asked the group. "We only planned to heal Goku."

"We could send the dragon on his way." Krillin suggested. 

"Actually I have something in mind." Gohan said surprising the others. He turned to face Tarble as he took the beta's hands in his own. 

"Gohan?"

"I know this sudden and not how it's done by saiyans. It's not actually how humans do it since I don't have a ring." He said going down on one knee. Bulma and the others of Earth gasped realizing what Gohan was doing. Tarble blushed getting an idea of where this could be going. 

"Are you..."

"I know that we have only known each other for a short amount of time, but I cannot imagine my life without you. I want to marry you Tarble, to mate with you. I want to be with you forever as my mtima-anake, and I want to start a family with you one day. I want you to help me rule my grandfather's...no my kingdom. I love you ayu. Will you say yes?"

Tarble bent and kissed Gohan and smiled. "Of course I'll marry you. But what does this have to do with your wish?" Gohan grinned as he turned to the dragon without letting go of his new mate’s hands. Their tails wrapped around each other seemingly on their own. 

"I might have a way to keep our family's together, for us to be able to see each other whenever we want without needing my dad's technique." Gohan's said quietly before turning to address the dragon with a polite bow of his head. "Thank you for waiting patiently for my wish, Shenron. I wish for you to create a permanent portal between the planet Earth and Vegetasei connecting Earth's lookout and the palace of Vegetasei."

The Dragon’s eyes glowed red for a moment. 

“YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED! UNITL THE NEXT SUMMONING!” Bardock and the others watched in fascination as green bled into golden light before shrinking to a pinpoint like a star and exploding outward in seven different directions before the sky returned to daylight. 

Vegeta just stared at the place where the dragon balls had been before they scattered feeling like a large weight had been taken off his shoulders. It only lasted for a few moments before he whirled around on his brother and stepson.

“Gohan, Tarble,” the prince called out as he walked up to the pair with his arms crossed. “I'm very happy for you and wish you a long and happy bonding together, but I expect you to do the traditional way of asking for Tarble’s hand, boy. I will not give you my blessings otherwise.”

Gohan winced as he brought a hand up to rub the back of his head. The teen had hoped that inheriting a kingdom and showing off the dragon balls would qualify in the saiyan way, but the look on the older alpha's face proved him incorrect.

“Excuse me…” Bardock interrupted with an incredulous expression. He shifted Vegito so he could grip the back of the prince's armor, and yanked him away from the flushed couple. “I really don't think you have any room to talk, Vegeta. You leave them alone, besides I seem to recall that you-!”

“Shut up, old man!” Vegeta snarled as he pushed the older alpha off of him. “It's none of your business!”

“It's is too my business! Kakarot is my son, therefore I have a right to get involved!” Bardock glared at the shorter saiyan as he handed the baby to Gohan, who haphazardly took the cub and quickly backed away. 

The alphas were just about ready to tear into each other when Bulma marched up to them with a scowl on her face, her eyebrow twitching in fury. The saiyans didn't notice the woman until she proceeded to slap both Vegeta and Bardock on their faces. Immediately, the two dominant saiyans were crouched down holding their faces.

“Both of you, shut up!” Her blue eyes were glaring at the pair as she placed her hands on her hips. “Now is not the time for this! This moment is for Gohan and Tarble, and we need to check to see if Goku is alright!”

“Dear Kalious what is her hand made of?!” Bardock growled under his breath. “She hits like a damn saiyan!”

“Never figured out how she does that.” Vegeta replied as they stood up.

+++VK+++

Vegeta quietly closed the door behind Dende as the guardian left the room. They all agreed that keeping things between Goku and his mate would likely be best until they knew if the wish worked or not. Vegeta had no doubt the dragon healed Kakarot, but the test would be getting Kakarot to actually try speaking again. 

His eyes raked over the sleeping form taking in the lack of discoloration on what skin he could see. Just the sight of his mate healthy and physically unmarked relaxed something inside Vegeta that he wasn’t aware was tense. The beta looked like himself again. His skin was still pale but the sickly pallor of his time in space was gone. His Karo would need plenty of meals and training yet to get his muscles back, but he was healthy.

He settled onto the bed and brushed his thumb on Kakarot’s cheek before he leaned in and kissed his mate gently. The beta purred and whimpered in his sleep. “Come on, Karo, you need to wake up now.” Goku groaned and rolled over to face the alpha, his tail flicking in irritation.

“Karo.”

“It feels so good here.” The beta finally mumbled as he curled against his mate. “I guess we’ll have to find out if Dende healed me when I wake up for real.” Vegeta said nothing as he hovered over his mate and kissed him deeply. When he pulled back the beta noticed the watering of his mate’s eyes.

“Geta? What’s wrong?”

“Its not a dream, Karo.” Vegeta said caressing the beta’s cheek with a warm, happy smile on his face. “This is real, love.” Dark eyes widened before one of his hands grasped at his throat in shock.

“You…you mean…” Goku smiled feeling the vibrations of his vocal cords before tears sprang to his eyes. “It worked…..Geta, it worked!” He pulled his mate down with sobbing laugh before he kissed Vegeta fiercely.

“I love you; Geta I love you so much.” Goku gasped out between tears. “I…I didn’t think…”

“Shh, its ok, Karo.” Vegeta soothed as he kissed his mate’s forehead. He moved so that he was laying beside the younger saiyan, and the prince gathered the other to his chest. “Its over Karo, it’s finally over. You have your voice back and all the scars are gone.”

“I can talk to the boys now, my father. We don’t have to sleep to talk to each other.”

“I personally liked how some of those talks ended, Karo.” Vegeta teased earning a blush from Goku.

“Of course you would.” Goku grinned back before he rubbed his face alongside the prince’s. “I love you so much, Geta.”

“You already said that, love.” Vegeta purred pulling Goku tighter to him and simply holding him.

“I missed saying it. Please don’t let this actually be a dream.”

“Would you like me to pinch you?”

“That never works- Ouch!” Goku yelped when the alpha nipped his ear. “Geta!” He shifted to put some distance between them, but the dominant had too strong of a grip for him to go far.

The prince's chest rumbled at the call of his name, and he brought his tongue up to soothe the sting he left on the submissive. Almost immediately, Goku's head fell to the side with a whimpering moan that had Vegeta’s blood heating. A deep purr built in the alpha's chest as he lowered his head to worship the offered flesh.

“Ahh….” The moan was breathy as the beta felt teeth and tongue play over his bond bite. “Geta….anaana…,” Goku almost whined out the term of endearment as a calloused hand slipped under the white shirt he was wearing unnoticed. His arms wrapped around the dominant’s neck to pull his mate closer.

“Marama…” Vegeta’s voice was velvety and the whisper caused Goku to shudder. The alpha brought his hand up slowly as he moved to hover over the younger saiyan. His eyes had gone half lidded with a sensual heat building up in onyx depths. The fingers of his free hand sank into black spikes to lightly scratch at the submissive’s scalp. “I have missed you saying my name. Especially like this.”

“Wha-?” Goku started to ask when the prince moved and almost violently shoved his tongue in that sweet mouth. The beta moaned as he tried to pull back from the overbearing alpha, but he had been pressed into the mattress which prevented his escape.

The dominant moved the hand under Goku's shirt up towards the younger male’s neck, bringing the shirt with it. The cool air had the submissive shuddering, and Vegeta started to play with one of Goku’s nipples making him whine. The beta broke the kiss as the prince brought both of his hands to grip along his rib cage.

“Nggg….Ve-Vegeta.”

“Yes…,” Vegeta purred as he heatedly stared his mate down. “I've missed the way you call out my name. It proves that you are my mate. Mine and mine alone. I'm going to make you scream it for all to hear.” The alpha could feel his blood rushing to the lower half of his body, and he brought one hand down to Goku's pants so he could take this further.

Goku was about ready to surrender to the older man's intentions, but his ears could pick up the rapid thumping taps of small feet running along the floor. His eyes widened once he realized that the sound was coming closer, so he shoved his mate off his body. The alpha snarled in irritation as the submissive rushed to smooth his shirt down just as the door burst open to show two cubs with their eyes set on Goku.

“Tama!” Goten barreled into the beta's arms with Trunks following close behind. The force of their impact caused Goku to land flat on his back on the bed. “Did it work? Can you talk now?”

“I'm sorry, Tama.” The lavender haired boy cut in before the submissive could answer. “I told Goten we should've waited, but he was too anxious.”

“Hey! You wanted to know too!”

“But the grown ups said to wait, not come running up here!”

“I waited!”

“Five minutes doesn’t count!”

Goku couldn’t help the laugh that burst from his mouth before he pulled both cubs into an embrace. He laughed hard enough his eyes teared up just reveling in actually being able to make the sound.

“Boys, what did-” Bardock growled out from the doorway before he froze hearing his son’s laugh.

“It worked!” Goten shouted happily as he purred and nuzzled his tama, his little tail whipping the air happily. “It worked, it worked, it worked!”

“It worked, Goten.” Goku finally managed to stop laughing and nuzzled his cub back. “I love you both so much, boys.” He nuzzled Trunks next drawing a happy purr from the older boy. “I thought about you every day I was gone. I missed you so much.” Words he’d wanted to say for so long came spilling out.

Bardock glanced at Vegeta as the alpha picked himself off the floor with a raised eyebrow. While the sight before him warmed his heart, he would have liked to finish what he had started.

“I’m going to start locking the doors at this rate.”

“Were you-?!” Bardock didn’t finish the question before Vegeta growled a bit.

Goten and Trunks climbed off the beta and tugged at his hands.

“Come on! We gotta show everybody!” Goten said practically bouncing in place.

“Ok, let me get up first.” Goku laughed before ruffling the cubs’ hair with his tail. Oh Tarro Bardock had missed that sound. The older male pulled his son into a tight embrace as they made it to the doorway.

“I’m so glad you’re finally ok, Kakarot.”

“Me too, father.” Goku whispered into his father’s ear. “I missed you. I’m….” The beta choked up overwhelmed with words.

“It’s alright, son. We have all the time you need to say everything you want.”

“Thank you.” Both he and Vegeta knew it was for more than just being patient. It was for everything.

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat, son.”

++VK++

“It worked, it worked!” Goten shouted running ahead as they entered the living room where everyone was waiting. “Shenron made Tama better!”

“What?” The word was sharp and half growled by Goku standing in the doorway causing all of the adults to freeze. Goten smiled and looked back up at the beta ignoring the anger in his tama’s voice.

“Daddy made a wish so you would get better.” He chirped. “And Gohan and Tarble are gonna be mates! They made a wish so we can go back and forth between here and home!”

“Huh?” Goku gasped out confused. How long was he asleep?

“Tama?” Trunks asked concerned. Goku turned and walked out of the room his tail lashing the air.

“Did I say something wrong?” Goten asked softly, his tail finding its way into his hands as he squeezed it nervously. Vegeta sighed looking after his mate and gently took the tail from his hands. They really needed to break that habit before he hurt himself.

“No, I should have told Karo about the dragon before now.” He said quietly. “How about you boys go play with Miyu and Dokueki while we talk to Karo. I think your Tama is just overwhelmed right now.”

“Kay!” Both cubs chimed in unison.

Vegeta found Kakarot squatting against the building on the verge of a panic attack. Karo’s emotions were all over the place with the return of his voice and before they even came downstairs Vegeta could tell his mate was overwhelmed. If he had to guess, the news his oldest son proposed without so much as telling him he wanted to had to be what finally tipped the beta over the edge.

“Karo-”

“Go away, Vegeta.” Goku snapped short of breath.

“Not while you’re like this, marama.” Vegeta said softly.

“I told you not to use the dragon balls.” The beta snarled finally looking up. “You said you wouldn’t!”

“I never agreed to that and you know it. You dropped the subject.” Vegeta bit back trying to keep his temper in check. “Karo, why are you so upset about this?”

“I already got a wish for myself, Geta; doing that more than once….Its wrong.” Goku struggled to get out as his emotions spun out of control. “I should have never let you talk me into coming back here.”

“I’m glad he did” Bulma said startling both of them. “You would have let yourself suffer pointlessly with an injury that couldn’t be fixed.”

“I wouldn’t have-”

“Shut up, Goku!” Bulma exploded. “You are the most selfless person on the entire planet. In the entire time I’ve known you, you never made a single wish for yourself. I doubt it ever even crossed your mind! And no reviving your planet and race so you can go live with them because you wanted to be with your own race doesn’t count!”

“Vegeta knows how I felt about using the dragon balls he shou-”

“We all agreed to make the wish for you after Dende said he couldn’t heal you. It wasn’t just him.”

“What?” Bulma sighed and sat beside him in the grass.

“All of us wanted you to have your voice back. We….what happened to you was wrong, Goku. None of your friends or family wanted you to suffer because of what that bitch did to you. You have done so much for this world and all of your friends…you don’t get to decide if we can return the favor to you.”

“But…but I…” The beta stuttered as he looked at his oldest friend in shock, and both Vegeta and Bulma felt their heart clench at the lost look on the younger saiyan's face. He stepped over so he could sit on Goku's other side and pulled the submissive to rest on his chest.

“Goku…did you really think that we wouldn't care enough about you to do something like this?” Bulma asked while the alpha ran a hand up so he could scratch at his mate’s sensitive scalp helping him to relax a little more. A flush of embarrassment was all the answer Bulma and Vegeta needed, and he let out an exasperated sigh. 

“Love…”

“I know, Geta.” The submissive's voice cut him off before he could say anything.

“No Goku this isn’t right. We should have been better friends, better family. You are basically my little brother. You should have never felt you couldn’t come to us for help. Just because we looked up to you from all the times you saved us doesn’t mean we won’t look out for you. You are so special and have helped everyone so many times. It just never seemed like you needed us to do anything for you.” Bulma explained to the confused beta.

“We’re all here for you, marama. You aren’t alone now, and will never be ever again. Its ok to let us help you.” The quiet was broken when the beta’s stomach growled drawing a blush from the beta.

“That includes asking for food to fill that black hole you call a stomach when you’re hungry.” Bulma teased with a giggle as she stood and dusted off her dress. “I promise you can always ask us for help Goku. Now I’m going to get the kitchen in gear, that buffet isn’t enough to feed all you hungry saiyans.” Goku hummed as he leaned closer to the prince with his eyes narrowed in thought. In a way, he did think something along those lines. He had been taking care of himself for so long that he forgot about the people that cared for him here. 

The prince moved to look in the younger in his eyes. Vegeta could see a new realization with those wide onyx depths, but he decided to let the subject go for now. It might come up again in the future, and he would be ready for it.

“Im ok now, Geta. I’m sorry I got mad.”

“Its alright, Karo.” The alpha nuzzled the side of the beta's face with a purr. He was relieved that his mate was no longer upset with him, and now everything was alright with the world once more. “Come on, let's head back to the boys before they destroy something or poison someone.”

Goku chuckled at that and allowed the dominant to pull him to his feet. As they started to walk back, he remembered something Goten said.

“So…what's this about Gohan and Tarble?”


	58. Chapter 58

Vegeta watched his mate play with the boys as the submissive held Vegito on his hip. Ever since he had gotten his voice back, he hadn't been too far from the cubs, and he had been constantly chattering to their youngest to help improve the toddler’s own vocabulary.

 

  
The beta's eyes lit up as soon as he saw Gohan come over to talk to his father, most likely about what to find Tarble as an offering for his hand. The teen had been busy trying to find something suitable on Earth while beginning lessons on how to run his new kingdom. Poor boy could use all the help he could get, and Goku was more than happy to offer advice.

 

  
It made the prince happy to see the submissive so relaxed and like his former self, but there was something that was burning in the back of his mind that made a frown grow on his face. His eyes flickered over to the oldest of the half saiyans, and a surge of pride went through him as he observed just how much effort Gohan was putting into his gift.

 

  
Unfortunately, it also made guilt rear its ugly head as well.

 

  
Bardock was right, loathed as Vegeta was to admit it, and he felt the need to come up with something to give to his Karo. Their mating had been unorthodox, but the alpha wanted to make it up to Goku.

 

  
“You look troubled, nii-sama.” Tarble said softly.

 

  
“Tarble, I thought we’d talked about the nii-sama thing.” Vegeta smirked as he ruffled his sibling’s hair.

 

  
“I know but you’re always going to be my nii-sama.” The beta admit with a smile. “What’s bothering you?”

 

  
“I’m…I’m sorry I gave Gohan a hard time about his proposal.” Vegeta said softly. “I just want him to do right by you. And I’ve realized that I need to do right by Karo….but I have no idea what I could offer him.”

 

  
“You really want to make amends don’t you. Ni-” Vegeta’s glare cut him off. “Big brother, Kakarot is happy with you. He forgave you for everything. You don’t have to keep making it up to him.”

 

  
“It’s not just that, Tarble. Bardock, damn him, has a point. How can I expect Gohan to honor our traditions with you when I haven’t done so with my own mate. We didn’t even court properly. I just….I want to make things right. Karo deserves that.” Tarble hugged his older brother trying to get the troubled expression off the older man’s face.

 

  
“He’ll be happy with pretty much anything you give him, brother.” Tarble said quietly. “And I know the only reason you give Gohan a hard time is because that’s your job as my big brother. I think you enjoy pushing his buttons.” The beta teased.

 

  
They settled in the grass watching Kakarot and the cubs playing with the pups, Gohan now involved in the game making the older two boys squeal in laughter as he tickled them both. Karo was so beautiful like this. He wanted to see Karo like this everyday for the rest of their lives.

 

  
“So what have you considered so far? Maybe you’re over thinking this.”

 

  
“I can’t really hunt anything for Karo. He’s an accomplished hunter himself and we both know there isn’t an animal that either of us couldn’t kill easily. He doesn’t want to kill anything for trophy status either and doing something like that would only make him sad or angry.” Neither said the obvious, that it was too close a reminder to Shiveria right now.

 

  
“What about a pet?” Vegeta glared at him not even dignifying that question with a response.

 

  
“Yeah…that was a terrible idea.” Tarble admit with a blush. “And you already have the three panzaons. And besides your bond jewelry that really wouldn’t work either.” Vegeta sighed at that.

 

  
“At times I wish he liked wearing nice things and jewelry. Karo looks absolutely stunning when he’s wearing a bit of jewelry but that’s just not him. It was one of the things I always found admirable.”

 

  
“He told me he was afraid of ruining his nicer clothes and losing the jewelry. Kakarot just isn’t used to it yet. I wasn’t either until I started helping father in court more recently.” Tarble said as his tail wagged a bit. Vegeta smiled happy their father was actually asking Tarble to help. He hadn’t wanted his brother to fade into the shadows. “Anything else?”

 

  
“I considered a few things, but Karo isn’t a crafter so any tools to help him with that are out. And he doesn’t really care for reading and knowledge unless it helps him with something he has to learn. I thought about adding to the gardens but they are already filled with everything we can safely grow in the palace. Not to mention he feels comfortable with how they already are, I’m hesitant to change that.”

 

  
Tarble watched as the alpha furrowed his brow in thought. It was so sweet that his older brother was trying so hard to find the perfect gift for his mate. The young beta smiled once he heard Vegeta start to mutter out some more ideas before quickly rejecting them. Just then, a memory flashed in his mind from a few months back.

 

  
“You know, there was something Kakarot mentioned.” The younger said after bit. “We were talking about where we grew up. He told me he didn’t feel like he ever had a home of his own. He did mention his home with his grandfather and how his wife had it totally rebuilt after they married; to be far Kakarot did say it was in really bad shape after being empty for several years. It never felt like home after that. You could do something to make the palace feel like his home maybe?” The idea struck Vegeta like lightening. He grinned and ruffled his little brother’s hair affectionately as he stood up.

 

  
“Thanks, Tarble.”

 

  
+++VK+++

 

  
“We’re almost there.” Vegeta said with a sly grin before he pulled the submissive through some bushes drawing giggle from his mate.

 

  
“Vegeta, why did you bring me all the way out here…?” The beta’s breath caught in his throat once he realized where they were. “This is…” He turned to look back at his mate with wide eyes. It was their lake, where Vegeta marked him and the setting of so many of their dreams together. It was unchanged except for a house further down the shoreline.

 

  
“I know. I wanted to bring you here.” Vegeta said kissing his mate. “This is our place and its only fitting to visit while we’re on Earth, marama.”

 

  
“Geta…” The beta felt his eyes water a bit at the sweetness of the gesture. He frowned a bit seeing the house.

 

  
“What’s wrong?” The alpha was immediately concerned.

 

  
“There’s someone living here now.” Goku responded softly. Vegeta relaxed then with a smile, and he guided the beta over so he could see the building better.

 

  
“Take a closer look, Karo,” he whispered making the younger male shiver slightly.   
Goku glanced over his shoulder at the smirking alpha with a look of confusion before turning to study the house with a closer eye. What he saw made his breath catch in his throat a second time.

 

  
It was bigger than he realized. The roof was made of black tile and shaped like a traditional Chinese house with the corners curving up just a bit, and the walls were made out of a light gray stone that helped it blend into its surroundings. There were round windows on the two sides he could see with a pattern on the glass that was similar to King Kai’s insignia. The house itself was sitting beside the tree that they had mated for the first time, and there were flowers and other plants scattered along the walls.

 

  
All and all…it looked eerily similar to his grandfather's house.

 

  
“Geta…what is this?” Goku's voice was hesitant as he looked over the scene once more. He sounded so confused that it made the prince let out a chuckle.

 

  
“Marama…as I'm sure you're aware, our mating has been…rather unorthodox to say the least. Normally an alpha will offer a bonding gift to the beta he is courting before they mate to show he is serious about their relationship, and I'm ashamed to say that I haven't even thought of doing so until Gohan asked for Tarble’s hand.” Vegeta moved so that he was in front of the beta and held his hands before continuing.

 

  
“Kakarot, after Vegetasei was destroyed, I thought I would be the prince of a dead race. I didn't think there was any hope of having a miraculous comeback from the brink of extinction for our people so I gave up. My only comfort was the thought of revenge for years….then I met you. At first I was impressed that a third class warrior had grown so strong, then, on Namek, I became angry over the thought of you being stronger then myself.

 

  
“Then you were gone for seven years.” Goku was surprised to hear his mate choke up a bit here. “I vowed at your death to never fight again, but I was only able to do so for those first two years. I don't like to look back on that time, love. I just remember feeling empty most of those days, and I was angry that I couldn’t understand why. I started training again as an outlet for my aggression because… while I still thought I hated you at that time, I still couldn’t stand the thought of destroying everything you cared for.”

 

  
The prince lifted a hand and cupped the submissive's cheek as he gazed adoringly in the other’s onyx eyes. Goku couldn't help but nuzzle the hand as his eyes watered a bit at the speech.

 

  
“When you returned after all those years… to be honest I wasn’t quite sure what to feel, Karo. I knew I wanted to fight with you, I was also angry that you weren’t going to stay longer, and I was hurt that you were so happy with not being on Earth. I think it was then that my heart decided that it would belong to you and no other. With every else that came after… in a way I’m not surprised that it took my brain so long to catch up with what my heart had decided.

 

  
“I can now see that I don't want to live a single day without you in my life. I know there will be days when we do not get along. We will fight, we will be at each other’s throat’s, and there may be days when we beat each other to bloody pulp, but I want to share those days with you. I also know there’ll be days where we can just enjoy being with each other. We can laugh together, we can spend days with our boys together, and we can spend nights wrapped up in each other’s arms just soaking in one another. I want that for the rest of our lives, love.”

 

  
Here Vegeta knelt down on one knee making Goku gasp. He pulled out a black box about the size of his hands and opened it to reveal a white gold necklace with a blue, multicolored labradorite stone in its center.

 

  
“Will you spend the rest of our days with me as my mate?” Goku stared at him, eyes misty with a soft smile on his face.

 

  
“But…but I thought we were already mates.” Goku stammered. “You did all this for me?”  
“I wanted to do things right Karo. I wanted to show you just how much you mean to me because you deserve this being done the proper way.”

 

  
“Geta….” Goku actually teared up and slid to his knees in front of his alpha.

 

  
“So do I get an answer to my question?” Vegeta softly asked with a smile. Goku gave a watery laugh before he nodded.

 

  
“You idiot.” The beta teased as Vegeta carefully hooked the necklace around his mate’s neck. It shimmered in the light and rested around mid-chest on him just at the top of his pectoral muscles. “Of course the answer is yes.” He wiped his eyes before kissing Vegeta softly. His hands found the necklace and gave it a better look.

 

  
“A necklace or bracelet is traditional. I thought you’d prefer something simple.” Vegeta said taking one of his mate’s hands in his own.

 

  
“I love it, it’s perfect, Vegeta.” The beta felt at peace as he held the blue stone. He didn’t feel overwhelmed like with the finer jewelry he wore for Vegito’s presentation. His mind didn’t even compare it to the collar he hated so much with how loose it was. “How did you…when did you find the time for all this?”

 

  
“Bulma helped.” Vegeta said with a laugh. “I told her what I needed and we got it done. It was a bit disturbing how fast she can get people to do things.” The alpha confessed. “This whole lake and the land around it belong to you, Karo, legally. No one can ever move out here or do anything to this place without your consent.”

 

  
“Why the house?”

 

  
“I want you to be happy, marama.” Vegeta said once again cupping his mate’s cheek. “If that means we live here or on Vegetasei, I’ll follow you to the ends of the universe.”

 

  
“Vegeta….” Goku felt his eyes water again. “Our home is on Vegetasei. I love Earth and miss our family here, but I belong with our people.” His alpha smiled and purred at that.

 

  
“Then this can be a get away for you….or the two of us if you like. A place to relax.” Goku whimpered as Vegeta leaned in and breathed in his scent, his breath ghosting over his mark. His mate had a point. ‘Maybe for my next heat…’

 

  
“I’d like that….very much, anaana.”

 

  
Goku felt like he walked into his rooms in the palace when they went inside. Soft blue and grays decorated the entryway will a living area just like the one in his room minus the nest. Large double french doors were at the back of the room revealing a stunning landscape of the surrounding woods and some more decorative plants surrounding an outdoor sitting area. Goku immediately went to look closer and found a small fire pit and soft chairs and a lounge. A latticed arbor on the corners were covered in vines of flowers and supported a glass roof that would keep the occupants and furniture dry without ruining the view of the sky. Further out from the patio was a large brick grill and oven that they could use for outdoor cooking.

 

  
Vegeta watched Goku with a smile seeing how happy his mate was. The beta quickly went into a different set of french doors and found himself in an amazing kitchen. The fridge alone was massive. Soft blue covered the walls and the cabinets were white to match the clean white quartz countertops. From there it was a mismatch of Earth and Saiyan technology to let him cook whatever style he wanted from either planet. He opened one of the drawers and found an assortment of knives and tools for prepping food.

 

  
“This is incredible.” The beta was breathless as he started looking at all the items and ingredients in his kitchen. He was so excited about what he could make his thoughtful alpha with all that he had here.

 

  
“You haven’t even seen the best parts, Karo.” Vegeta said with a chuckle as he stood in the doorway leading to a dinning room connected to the sitting area. Goku gave the alpha a confused look before following Vegeta to a large dark wood door to the left of the fireplace. Goku opened the door after giving his mate a curious look. He froze seeing a replica of the den in his father’s home. The deep nest filled with blankets, furs and pillows. The back wall was taken up by another massive fireplace and Goku shivered a bit realizing this room was for the two of them alone.

 

  
“There’s a bathroom like the one at the palace over here.” Vegeta said softly pulling his partner from his thoughts, and the submissive noticed a door just beside the bedroom door.   
“I didn’t know you liked the bathroom so much.” Goku quipped as Vegeta’s arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him close.

 

  
“Oh, I wasn’t talking about the bathroom, love.” Vegeta led his mate back to the living room and showed him another dark door off to the side of the doors to the patio. Steam hit his face as he went it. It was a natural hot spring bath. Soft grass and natural smooth stones covered the floor leading to a wide pool in the center of the room. There were submerged stone benches in the pool with steam rolling off them.

 

  
“I was thinking more along this room.”

 

  
The beta let out a pleased and excited noise that heated the prince's body in a way that the steam couldn't do, and Vegeta bit back a growl as he watched Goku explore a little. The older saiyan watched in a mixture of amusement and arousal as the black tail attached to his mate whipped the air spreading the scent of cinnamon in the room.

 

  
“A personal hot spring?!” Goku beamed at his alpha, and Vegeta could feel his chest puffing out a bit at the expression directed to him. “Geta, this is wonderful! I can't believe you went through all this trouble!”

 

  
“It was no trouble, Marama,” the prince's voice was a purr as he watched the other with half lidded eyes. Vegeta pushed off the doorframe that he was leaning on to almost stalk closer to his mate. “There's one more thing to go with your gift.”

 

  
The submissive's eyes widened at the tone in Vegeta’s voice as he watched him come closer. He got that distinct feeling of being prey as the alpha circled around to stand at his back. Goku shivered as soon as he felt air rush over his ear from Vegeta’s mouth.

 

  
“Bardock and Bulma agreed to watch the cubs for tonight and tomorrow….” Pink dusted over Goku's face as he caught the meaning of the words. “So we can enjoy our little paradise before we have to go back to Vegetasei. Doesn't that sound nice?”

 

  
The question was rhetorical, and the beta found his head nodding without really thinking about it. A mewl came from the younger’s throat as gloved hands crept up under the white top that was becoming damp from the steam.

 

  
“I'm not going to wait another moment longer, Karo.” Vegeta growled as he pulled his mate closer to his body. “We are not leaving here until I've heard you scream my name. Multiple times in fact.”

 

  
“Anaana….ah!” Goku was cut off by his own gasp as the prince nipped at the shell of his ear. He melted against the strong body behind him once the dominant left his ear to run his tongue over the bond bite on the beta's shoulder.

 

  
“I think we can start here.” The excitement in Vegeta's tone had Goku's mind clearing enough to hear the next words before a feeling of anticipation and a small amount of nervousness filled his heart. His body was spun round before he could utter a sound, and the light in the older man's eyes nearly brought him to his knees.

 

  
“It's going to be a long night, so we might as well have you as relaxed as you can get before we begin. Don't you agree?”

 


	59. Chapter 59

Vegeta let out a groan as he woke up. He rolled so that he was laying on his stomach and buried his face in a pillow. Fur sliding on his naked skin felt delicious, and he wanted to remain in bed to really enjoy the sensation. Vegeta was beginning to understand just why Karo was so prone to touching and brushing against him when he’d been under the influence of Lady Tarro’s transformation. He stretched out an arm across the furs to find his mate once his mind recognized the lack of warmth, but the beta wasn't within reach.  
  
The alpha pushed himself up out of the furs to look for his mate, but he was alone in the room. A frown grew on his face until the smell of biscuits and stone boar meat being cooked registered. His stomach growled at the mouthwatering scent so he moved off the nest to head to the kitchen.  
  
Vegeta snagged a crimson robe from a hook close to the door to cover his nude body. Once he finished knotting the belt, he came to stand in the doorway to watch his mate cook.  
  
Kakarot was standing in the by the stove humming as he turned a large slab of meat on a griddle. The prince saw numerous pots and pans on the stove, and he was looking forward to the amazing meal the submissive was cooking. It surprised the older man once he found out that his mate could cook, but he was thankful for the discovery. His Karo was very good in the kitchen.  
  
He was clad in a pair of loose black pants with his upper body on display, and Vegeta smiled at seeing multiple love bites on that wonderfully soft scar-less skin. Just seeing the evidence of his claim on the beta was making his blood start to rush to his lower body once more. He wanted to put more marks on that honey colored flesh, he needed to.  
  
Not being able to stay away any longer, Vegeta padded over to Goku and snaked his arms around the submissive's waist. His sudden embrace caused the younger saiyan to jump a little, but he purred and leaned into the embrace as soon as he caught the prince's scent. The alpha's chest rumbled as he caught his scent on his mate's skin, and he buried his face in Goku's shoulder.  
  
“Good morning, Geta,” Goku greeted cheerfully. He rubbed his cheek in flame shaped spikes with a happy smile on his face. “Breakfast will be ready soon. I hope you're hungry!”  
  
“I can think of something I’d like to have at the moment.” He purred giving the beta an affectionate nip as his hand gently cupped his mate’s ass. He didn’t have to see the blush to know it was on his mate’s cheeks. Goku squeaked before he heartlessly swatted at the man but did little to actually make Vegeta let him go.   
  
“As much as I enjoyed last night, I need food before we do anything else.” Goku stated firmly. “I don’t know how you aren’t starving.”  
  
Vegeta chuckled as he breathed deep inhaling his mate’s scent, purring as he nuzzled into the back of Kakarot’s neck before letting the man go to finish cooking undisturbed. Tarro forbid he make the beta ruin something on the stove. He wanted to remain in his mate's good books.  
  
He moved to the table to watch the submissive finish breakfast looking forward to the meal. The oven let out a beep, and as soon as it opened, the smell had the prince's stomach growling. Goku was plating the food on several large platters, and he loaded his arms up to bring everything to the table.  
  
Vegeta groaned at the sight of stone boar chops, gravy, biscuits, eggs, a fruit bowl with items from Earth and Vegetasei, rice, toast, pancakes, sausages, and four large pitchers of orange juice. He immediately reached out to snag a biscuit, but the beta smacked his hand with his tail as he moved beside the older man.  
  
“Not yet, Geta,” Goku mock scolded as he moved to get glasses. “I can't believe you had everything stocked for me. Even with our appetites, there's enough food here to last us for a month!”  
  
“I just wanted to be sure you’d have anything you could want.” The alpha purred as he watched the younger saiyan come closer to him once more. Vegeta grabbed his mate around the waist as he placed the glasses on the table. He nuzzled his cheek against the warm skin covering Goku's abdominal muscles, and he let out a growl at the wonderful scent.  
  
“That's very thoughtful of you, anaana.” The beta threaded his fingers in the black spikes to scratch at the prince's scalp before untangling himself from the other’s arms. “Come on, let’s eat before it gets cold. After that, I want another bath.”  
  
Vegeta narrowed his eyes as the submissive sat down at the other end of the table. The cinnamon scent Kakarot possessed was sweeter than before; but before he could think on it more, a plate was placed in front of him with different foods piled on it.   
  
Goku smiled as he watched the alpha dig into his meal with a groan of relish at his first taste of the food. He had worked hard on breakfast, and he was so happy that his mate loved his food.  
  
“Perhaps I’ll join you for that bath Karo, or do you want another shower?” Vegeta purred smirking at the violent blush on his mate’s cheeks as the beta obviously remembered their shower last night.  
  
FLASHBACK   
  
_Goku’s head fell back against the shower wall with a loud moan as the saiyan prince held him there while attacking the bite mark with a steady stream of licks, kisses and nips. Vegeta held him off the tiled floor with his arms wrapped around the alpha’s neck and his legs wrapped around his waist. His black tail swayed a little before it coiled around the prince's left thigh.  
  
“Ge….Geta!”   
  
“I take it back, Karo.” The older man growled softly grinding their hips together under the stream of hot water. “I think I like this room a great deal.”   
  
The submissive just panted as his eyes gazed at the ceiling unseeingly, and he mewled when he felt calloused hands slide up his thighs to rest on his hips. Just feeling the attention his bond bite was receiving was causing the beta to feel lightheaded.   
  
Vegeta finally moved from the spot once he felt like he had caused it to stand out enough. The older saiyan let out satisfied growl as soon as he saw the redness of his mark after he pulled away. His dark eyes flickered over honeyed skin, and Vegeta felt his lips curl up at the blank canvas.  
  
His mate wasn't as muscular as he was before his pregnancy, but there were still lines of definition on the submissive's body. The alpha flexed his hands on the other’s flanks as he pressed forward to latch his mouth the hollow of Goku's throat.  
  
He needed to make more marks on his Karo. He needed to show everyone that this man belonged to him and him alone. He could feel his instincts demand that he place as many marks as he could on the body before him.  
  
Goku dug one of his hands in the prince's hair to help ground himself as pleasure made his body shake in strong arms. He allowed his head to fall as far back as it could go against the wall to let Vegeta have more room. He writhed against the cool tiles and the dominant’s warm skin, and he tightened his legs to silently tell his mate to hurry up.  
  
As the mouth moved from his throat in a direction towards his heart, the arms holding him lifted the beta’s body further up on the wall. He let out a yelp that morphed into a confused groan of pleasure as Vegeta's tongue started to lap at his nipple. The feeling was more intense than it was during their first shared dream, and while the sensation felt good, it almost made him slightly self conscious.  
  
The sound above his head had the prince chuckling as he pressed the younger man’s body against the wall to keep from being parted from golden flesh. In the back of his mind, Vegeta was amazed at just how sensitive his mate could be. Now he felt the urge to show his Karo just how many different ways pleasure could be achieved.  
  
The prince ran the flat of his tongue over the bud feeling it stiffen in his mouth. Once it stopped growing, Vegeta started to suck, and Goku let out a cry as his hands fisted in black spikes. He simultaneously arched his chest away from the feeling and used his arms to pull the alpha closer to his body.  
  
Goku felt his body heat even more as the alpha moved slowly to the other nipple. One of his hands released black to move down a muscled back leaving raised welts as his nails raked over bronzed skin.  
  
The feeling had the dominant growling in arousal, and he had to push the feeling down before he just buried himself inside the beta and took his own pleasure. It was so difficult to do, but Vegeta wanted to give pleasure before he took it.  
  
“Vegeta…!” The younger saiyan moaned his mate's name as he was distracted by the assault on his chest. He clutched at the alpha, and the hands slipping underneath his thighs unnoticed. “Please! Ah! More….I want more! I nee-!”  
  
The words were cut off as the dominant lifted Goku's body up so that he was forced to loosen his legs. Vegeta maneuvered the other so the beta's legs were over his shoulders and the alpha’s face was level with slightly defined abdominal muscles.   
  
The submissive's hands flew to Vegeta's hair that had lost its shape under the water. His face burned as he processed the situation, and he shifted in a mixture of embarrassment and need. He looked down at his mate with a confused expression on his face only to see the prince give him a wicked smile.  
  
The alpha was pleased to see the flush of arousal that colored the younger man's cheeks and nose bridge. He ran both his thumbs over the skin on Goku's hips to help ease that nervousness he could see in the submissive's eyes. Without looking from the other’s eyes, the prince leaned forward to start sucking a mark just above the naval.  
  
“Ahhhh!” Goku cried out as his body arched forward at the surprisingly wonderful sensation. His black tail slung water around the stall as it lashed until it wrapped around the dominant's torso.  
  
As he moved, it forced Vegeta to stop sucking up a mark, and he let out a growl. Sharp teeth nipped along whatever skin he could reach with the beta's body curling around his head. Every now and then, blood would bloom on Goku's skin from a sharp nip, but the submissive didn't seem to mind and the blood was quickly washed away by the water.  
  
Vegeta shifted around, so he was holding his mate up with one arm and his body, and the prince slid a hand up to rest along the younger saiyan's side to prevent him from curling too much. He wanted to work without being impeded as he moved his way down the six pack to his goal.  
  
The alpha’s cheek came into contact with the hot column of flesh as he was nipping and sucking a patch of skin close to the crease of Goku's left leg. He slowly moved his head up and down against the flesh making a moan come from the panting man above him. He smirked as he moved to run his closed lips over the silk covered steel.  
  
Goku tightened his fingers in the wet black strands as a tongue ran up the full length of his shaft. The beta crossed his legs behind Vegeta's head and used them to try and pull the other closer to him. He squeezed his eyes shut once he felt the wet muscle run over the tip of his erection.  
  
The alpha growled at the taste of his mate, and he shifted to gently nibble on the head, careful of his sharp teeth. The fluid coming from the length in front of him increased, and he moved to take the head back in his mouth. The prince's lips twitched as they tried to form a smirk as he slowly sucked.  
  
The beta shivered as a hot wetness surrounded him, and he mewled breathlessly as his cock was slowly explored. He squirmed on the wall when Vegeta swallowed his whole length. The older man’s cheeks hollowed suddenly, and Goku screamed at the increase of suction.  
  
He felt his inner saiyan growl in approval when he felt the legs trembling around his head, and his eyes greedily watched as the submissive thrashed his head. The prince tightened his hold on his mate as writhed in his arms.  
  
The fluid was coming in an almost steady stream now, and Vegeta groaned as he swallowed the addictive taste down. The sensation of the throat muscles contracted had his mate arching, but he couldn't push the alpha away. The older saiyan could tell his Karo was getting closer to the edge, and he wanted to push him beyond and savor his reward.  
  
“Geta!” Goku could feel it pooling in his lower belly, and he pulled on the hair in his hands to pull the other off of him. However, the prince refused to move, and he redoubled his efforts to make the beta spill. The pleasure he was experiencing was almost indescribable.  
  
Vegeta groaned as the fingers twisted in his hair, pulling sharply on his scalp, and the vibrations of his vocal cords traveled up the flesh in his mouth. His hair was yanked on in response, and a wicked idea came to the former planet purger.  
  
He hummed around his mouthful as he slowly moved his way down until his nose brushed against the base. Once he was all the way down, Vegeta lifted his eyes to watch the beta’s face. A flush on the younger man's face was beautiful, and his head was thrown back with his eyes shut. His lower lip was between his teeth and small drops of blood were beading around Goku's fangs.  
  
Seeing the image above him had a purr building in his chest, and he couldn't stop it from coming even if he had the will to. As soon as it rumbled out, the submissive let out a loud cry feeling pleasure all the way in his bones.  
  
“GETAAAAAA!”  
  
His mouth was flooded with the beta's come, and Vegeta pulled back to catch the flavor before he gobbled it down. The salty sweet taste had him gripping his mate's hips in his hands as he tried to pulled the other closer. He wanted more.  
  
Goku whined as he became even more sensitive the longer the prince sucked, licked, and chased every drop of seed. He pulled on the hair still in his hands to get the other to stop, and he was given a glare.  
  
The alpha didn't want to release his prize until he saw the look on his mate's face. His eyes softened as he slowly let up on the pressure of his suction. He pulled away to allow the softening member to slide out of his mouth. As soon as he was free, Goku let out a sigh that was relief mixed with disappointment.  
  
The prince chuckled at the reaction as he moved to set the submissive on his feet. The beta leaned against him as Vegeta held him up as his body trembled from the sensory overload. Goku clutched at his shoulders as he tried to get his shaky legs to work once more.  
  
“You…you’re gonna be the death of me at this rate.” Goku said breathlessly before giving his mate a small nuzzle. His mate just chuckled before he cut the water off and dried them both with a quick burst of ki. The beta purred as he was gathered and carried to their nest before curling up against Vegeta.   
  
The saiyan prince remained smug as Goku continued to purr and nuzzle him with a relaxed air. His tail swayed contently before eventually settling around Kakarot’s waist. The submissive was lazily enjoying the furs against his naked skin and the heat of his mate behind him. Seeing the chill in the night air was going to be an issue, the alpha lit the fireplace with a burst of ki.   
  
The flames crackled and emitted a soft golden light that seem to enhance the honey color of Goku's skin much to the dominant's delight. He ran his fingers along the shoulder and side where the shadows started to mix in with the light dancing on the younger saiyan's body.   
  
The sensation of his mate's fingers tracing on his skin lulled the beta into an even more tired state. He shifted in the nest to tuck his head under the alpha's chin and curled up like a cat along Vegeta's side. He hummed a bit in contentment before his purring started up once more.  
  
“Seriously, Geta, I think you gave me a zenkai.” Goku finally said tiredly, and he could feel the chest under him vibrate with the prince's amusement. “That’s twice in a few hours.”   
  
“I didn’t hear you complaining.” Vegeta chuckled as he carded his hand through the beta’s thick mane. “You’ll get more stamina eventually.”   
  
The beta was torn on being offended or looking forward to what his mate had suggested. Fortunately, a yawn helped to end the dilemma before he could smack the alpha. As he drifted off into an exhausted sleep, he felt a fur being pulled over the two and a kiss on the top of his head. _  
  
FLASHBACK END  
  
Goku felt his face burning, but he tried to push down his embarrassment and focus on his meal instead the memory of last night. The beta stabbed a piece of boar with more energy than it needed, and he was quick to check that he didn't damage anything before eating.   
  
As much as he enjoyed the night, it still made him slightly self-conscious. Feeling like he did when Vegeta was loving him was completely different to any other time he had sex. With Chichi, it felt all right, more-so in the beginning of their marriage; but there was always something missing. Something that she just couldn't give him, something that Vegeta had.  
  
The alpha took his time with him, and he made Goku feel loved when they were together. It was something he never thought would happen despite knowing just how much Vegeta loves him. He didn’t think of sex as anything more than making cubs and had never expected to find enjoyment in the act. All of this was confusing to the submissive because of his past. It had hurt, left him scared and weak. But it hadn’t been that way with Vegeta, his alpha made sure he wasn’t hurt or afraid.  
  
His cheeks became red once more as he remembered the tender touches, searing kisses, adoring words whispered in his ear, and the pleasure that made stars shine behind his eyes. How could he enjoy this when it gave him so much pain before?  
  
His thoughts distracted him so much, that he didn't realize that he was pushing his half full plate of food around. His brow furrowed as his eyes glared unseeingly at the food.   
  
Vegeta paused with a fork full of eggs half way to his mouth once he noticed that Kakarot hadn't eaten a bite for the past ten minutes. He slowly lowered his utensil as he studied his mate.  
  
“Karo?” The sound of his name startled him and his head snapping up with a partial snarl on his face before it was smoothed away by one of embarrassment. Seeing the glint of fangs caused something in the alpha to growl, but he kept the sound inside. “Is everything alright? You're not eating.”  
  
“I'm fine.” Goku said as his eyes looked back down at the plate before he pushed it away with a faint expression of disinterest. “I'm just not hungry anymore.”  
  
“What…?” When was his Karo ever not hungry at mealtimes? He leaned forward to try and get a better look at his mate, and the cinnamon scent that the beta usually gave off slammed into Vegeta. His eyes widened once he realized that the scent was sweeter than it was supposed to be, and a growl left him without his knowledge.  
  
“Vegeta, what’s wrong?” Goku asked concerned. His mate stood and pushed the table aside so he could get closer to him. Vegeta scented the beta again and took in the warmth of his skin along with the light flush beginning to show on his face.   
  
“Karo, you’re having a pre-heat.” The alpha said stepping back to sit on the table in front of the beta. He could feel his own body beginning to react as an uncomfortable itch settled under his skin as he smelled that sweet scent. At least this was nothing compared to when Kakarot was pregnant otherwise he wouldn’t be able to explain.   
  
Flashback  
  
“ _So you’re saying that once Karo is healed our bond will reassert itself because we were separated.” Vegeta clarified. Bardock nodded.  
  
“In light of the fact most of the issues between you two stem from you not knowing much about mating bonds I thought it best to warn you.” The older man said as he stared into the fire pit while swirling his drink in his glass. “I wouldn’t expect anyone to have told you about this because most mated pairs weren’t close enough for it to matter. With you two it’s a true mating bond, like what I had with Gine. When I was gone off world for long periods of time Gine would have sort of a pre-heat after I got back and we were both healthy.”  
  
“Karo can’t handle being pregnant right now. I’m not even sure he could cope with a heat just now either.”   
  
“It’s not a full heat, he won’t get pregnant.” Bardock growled getting uncomfortable discussing his son’s sex life. “You’ll just have the urge to mate with him again and possibly renew your bond through biting. The biting may or may not happen….it didn’t always with Gine and I.”   
  
The older alpha glanced at the prince for a moment with narrowed eyes. There was a worried expression on Vegeta's face that helped ease Bardock's mind. To see the care the younger saiyan possessed for the beta reassured the other that Kakarot’s choice in a mate was a good one.  
  
“Don't worry, princeling. It won't be like Kakarot's first heat. He'll experience a more mild set of symptoms like raised body temperature, his scent becoming sweeter, and a lack of appetite. Neither of you will be overwhelmed by pheromones so you should keep a level head. If this does happen, make sure you explain this to him. Like you said, Kakarot can't handle a true heat right now. He needs to heal more.”  
  
Bardock glared at the prince as he saw him nod in response. The intense look nearly made Vegeta take a step back from the taller man. He downed the rest of his drink before he stood up and walked by the younger alpha.  
  
“Take care of him, Vegeta.”_  
  
END  
  
Vegeta shuddered at the look his father in law gave him that night, but he didn't need anyone to tell him to look after his mate. He would rather pull his own tail off than neglect his Karo.  
  
“Heat…?” Goku's words sounded a little breathless as he tried to understand the dominant's words. A panicky feeling was building in his chest at the thought of going into another heat. “But…Gito’s not…And I-!”  
  
“Pre-heat, Karo.” The alpha soothed as he leaned forward to cup the beta's cheek. “From what your father told me, it's nothing like a true heat. You won't get pregnant from this, it's just our bond trying to reassert itself after everything we've been through. Relax.”  
  
While Vegeta’s words did help some, Goku still felt anxious. He could feel his body warming up in a pleasing yet slightly uncomfortable way. He squirmed in his chair very much aware of his alpha's burning gaze on him, and he had to lower his eyes in fear of being set ablaze.  
  
Seeing the saiyan prince look at him like that was unnerving yet exhilarating. He was torn from wanting to hide from those eyes and stretch his body out naked to display for his mate. The urge to strip himself of any bit of clothing shocked and frightened him. He had never felt such a slutty urge like this before.

What was happening? Sex from something like this should only be to make cubs, so what was going on? How did the mating bond between them have so much control over his body, and how could he prevent this from happening? True he wanted to be closer to his mate, but was this really necessary?  
  
A rush of warmth rolled under his skin, and the submissive bit his lower lip to keep the groan from coming out. Unfortunately, he could not stop the shiver that ran through him or the sudden increase in the sweetness of his scent. The beta wanted to run from his mates intense gaze.  
  
The growl above him was Goku's only warning before Vegeta pounced on him. The force of it caused the pair to fall out of the chair and tumble on the floor. Vegeta and he rolled until the alpha pinned the beta sitting on his back holding his wrists beside his head to keep him from moving.  
  
“Geta, stop, please.” Goku pled struggling against his mate’s grip. His heart sped up in fear as he could feel his body responding to things. “I’m not…I can’t do this!”  
  
“Shh, calm down, marama.” Vegeta soothed nuzzling the back of his neck. “Just relax, love.”  
  
“Why is this happening?” The beta asked trembling under Vegeta’s iron hold. “I…why is this making me want things I never have?”  
  
“Tell me, love.” Vegeta purred into his ear, his tail softly sweeping the air to spread his scent in an effort to calm his mate. He wanted to help Karo accept this and keep him from resisting his body’s urges. It wouldn’t be healthy for Karo in the long run if he allowed the beta to ignore his instincts and allow his trepidation about intimacy rule him. “Let me help.”  
  
“I don’t….why is my body making me want sex, Geta? Heats are supposed to be for making cubs. I know we…” Kakarot blushed fiercely. “It’s different with you, but I keep remembering all the other times and how it was used to hurt me. I-I’m confused….” Vegeta purred and sat back pulling the beta into his lap seeing how upset his mate was.   
  
“It’s alright, love. What was done to you was wrong. Let me finish.” Vegeta said with a soft growl sensing Kakarot was about to interrupt. “I don’t know much about human conventions or norms, I honestly didn’t care about them even when I was with Bulma, but even for them it is ok to want to have sex with your partner just to enjoy it, mate in our case. There is nothing wrong or dirty about it, love. Saiyans are a very tactile race, we thrive on touch, it’s in our nature. So your instincts are telling you what you need. Sex is meant to be enjoyed between mates, marama, it doesn’t have to be just to make cubs. Do you know how mating bonds are actually formed?” Goku squirmed uncomfortably.  
  
“We bit each other.”  
  
“True, but it only works if it was done while mating.” Vegeta softly explained. “When you bit me, you were completing the bond I started when you were in your heat. Sex is considered symbolic of two people becoming one. That’s why the initial bite has to happen then. The way I understand it this pre-heat it sort of a…re joining. It is healing in a way.”   
  
“Healing?”  
  
“I was going out of my mind without you, Kakarot.” Vegeta confessed holding him tighter. “I felt like I had a literal hole in my chest. The boys were the only thing that could calm me down and ease that pain even a little. All I could think about was having you back in my arms and safe again. It’s calming when I touch you, when I breathe in your smell and know you’re alright. I feel powerful, more than I’ve ever been when I make you scream my name from pleasure, and pleased knowing I make you feel good. That is how sex should be, marama. You should feel amazing, loved and protected.”  
  
“I do with you.” Goku admit with a shiver as he felt his mate’s breath on his neck. That wonderful scent of cloves was making him feel warmer. “But I’m not….I don’t know how to handle these urges.”  
  
“Just relax and let them happen, love. See if you like them. Listen to your instincts and what they are telling you. Most of them are probably natural and even normal to do with your mate. I promise, I will do whatever you ask me to. If you want to try something and end up not liking it, we wont do it again. But you can’t fight your body about this, love. I don’t want you to hurt yourself resisting your heats. You’ll get sick, and it will get worse before you eventually snap and give in and mate anyways. I promised you I’d never hurt you, love, do you trust me?”   
  
“I do.” Goku said a moment later leaning back into Vegeta’s embrace.  
  
“I’m going to show you something new, love.” He purred pushing Karo back down and pinning him to the floor face down. His nose brushed the back of his mate’s neck drawing a shiver from the beta as a low aroused growl escaped Vegeta’s throat. His chestnut tail swept the air flooding it with his scent. Kakarot was squirming under him from the smell and nerves.   
  
Goku whined as his body began to burn uncomfortably. It was Vegeta’s scent that was doing it, and it was wrapped around him like a blanket blocking out anything else he could smell. He wanted to move, rub himself against something to ease the burning itch under his skin but his mate held him still. Vegeta purred and simply scented Kakarot enjoying the wonderful smell of his mate. He was going to go slow for now until Karo was calm and relaxed. He meant what he told the beta, he would never hurt Karo and the last thing he wanted was for his beloved to fear him or being intimate. The beta moaned as his hips shifted and his tail twined with Vegeta’s.   
  
A smirk formed on Vegeta’s lips as he rubbed Kakarot’s tail with his own and gently blew across Karo’s mark. He wanted to drive his mate over the edge and make the beta tell him exactly what he wanted the alpha to do.   
  
“Ah!” Goku gasped and shuddered at the feeling of fur brushing against fur. It felt so good….He tried to arch his back to feel more of his mate's heat on his back, but the dominant had him too stretched out for him to do that.   
  
The submissive was pinned on the floor of the dinning room flat on his belly with Vegeta straddling his thighs and his arms held down by the prince's hands at his wrists. He could feel the soft fabric of the robe covering his mate's body on the bare skin of his back and shoulders. Normally, he wouldn't mind it, but the fabric on both his and Vegeta's body was irritating.   
  
Goku let out an annoyed growl as he tried to wiggle his hips to get his pants off. When the pants remained in place, he let out a frustrated whine making the alpha smirk as he slowly licked the back of the submissive's neck.   
  
The skin under the prince's mouth was warm and tasted sweet. His chest rumbled with a deep purr as he nuzzled the shoulder that had his mark, loving the satiny texture of golden flesh and the softness of black spikes. Vegeta pressed a kiss to the bond bite, and he couldn't help but give it a sharp nip. This made his mate strain to arch up with a cry.  
  
“Is there something you need, Kakarot?” The dominant asked as he slowly moved his head up Goku's neck. His lips were just barely touching the shell of his ear, and the heat of the alpha's breath had the submissive shuddering. “You can tell me. What do you want?”  
  
The beta's eyes widened at the way Vegeta's voice seem to ooze over him like melted chocolate. It made his blood burn under his skin, and he tried to pull his hands free from the strong grip the older saiyan had on him to no avail.  
  
“Ah…off! Take it off!” Goku whined out with another wiggle of his hips as he moved their tails to pull at both the pants and robe. “Please…take it off!”  
  
"You want me to take off my robe? Is that what you want, marama?" Vegeta purred into his ear as his tail squeezed against his mate's while he hovered just above the beta's skin allowing the soft fabric to brush Kakarot’s back. A low moan was all the submissive could get out as he panted and squirmed under him. "I'm waiting, love, do you want me to strip?"  
  
"Yes!" The beta finally half cried half moaned. "Please take it off!"  
  
"As you wish, love. But just so you don't move..." He bit down on their bond bite without further warning drawing a pleasured scream from his mate. The familiar sensation of his limbs going limp startled the beta, but he could do nothing about it as endorphins flooded his brain. Slowly almost teasingly Vegeta pealed away the fabric of the robe, letting it brush across Goku's back drawing almost maddening whimpers from him.   
  
Black eyes took in the tremors in his mate's body as he leaned back over Kakarot but didn’t touch him. The beta whined in frustration at how close the heat and skin he wanted to feel was. His pants were getting more irritating by the second, and he couldn't do anything about it!  
  
Feather soft touches on his rear drew a pleasured moan as his hips trembled in a weak thrust trying to move up into the touch that felt so good before it stopped.   
  
"Does that feel good, Karo?" Vegeta purred leaning down to his ear as their tails brushed each other. "Are these pants bothering you? Or shall I leave them on?"  
  
"NO! Please..need...off, take them off!"  
  
They were ripped away immediately and Goku sighed in relief at the disappearance of the itch they caused. The alpha sat in his former position and held his wrists down once again seeing his mate was recovering his ability to move again. There was a disappointed whine from the beta as he struggled to touch that heat above him.   
  
"Tell me what you want, marama." Vegeta whispered in his other ear, his breath ghosting over the back of his neck while the chestnut tail swept a fresh wave of scent over him. He could feel the beta trembling under him, and he smirked as he brushed his mouth over the nape of Goku's neck.  
  
"Need...need....touch you. Please, Geta." A bright red flush stained his face as the scent of cloves and musk started to dull his awareness slightly. The submissive strained his head and managed to feel a brush of skin before it was gone.  
  
Vegeta watched as the flush started to creep down his mate's neck and shoulders. He slowly moved so that his chest covered Goku's back, and he rested his head on the unblemished shoulder. The alpha purred as he shifted so he could cover the younger saiyan like a living blanket.  
  
Goku let out a loud mewl as he finally felt the warm skin of his alpha. He seemed to melt into the floor as the heat from the body above him helped to sooth the burning inside of him. The submissive managed to pull his tail from between their bodies and wrapped it around the prince's waist to keep him from moving away.

“More…,” the beta breathlessly ordered. “I…want…your hands on me.” Goku’s face burned with that admission, and he was shocked that it came from his mouth. The scent in the air was helping to lower his inhibitions.  
  
“Karo, they are on you.” The dominant flexed his hands from where they held his mate down. He was pleased that the beta was telling him what he wanted, but he still felt the need to tease his mate just a bit. Before he could add more, a surprisingly loud snarl came from under him.  
  
“I want them to touch me all over!” Goku snapped as he turned his head to the side so he could glare up at his mate. He started to pull with real strength to get his arms loose if Vegeta wasn't going to do what he wanted. His black tail had released Vegeta’s waist and lashed furiously as it fluffed up to twice its size actually hitting the alpha with stinging blows.  
  
The older man pulled back in surprise over the submissive's reaction, and he had to use greater strength to keep him from moving. He didn’t expect his mate to start fighting him. Thinking quickly, the alpha flared his ki and swept his scent heavily in the air to calm the agitated beta. Goku growled and fought to get loose leading Vegeta to start giving attention to his bite. Soft kisses and nips to that sensitive area calmed Kakarot quick enough. A disappointed whine drew his attention away from the mark.   
  
“Geta…please touch me. Need you…” the beta begged desperately.  
  
“Alright, love. Although, I still don't want you to move.” Vegeta gave a smile that showed the tips of his fangs as he slid up the younger saiyan's back. With some effort, the prince managed to gather both of Goku's wrists in one hand and used the other to trail down the beta's spine.   
  
Goku let out a moan as he managed to slightly arch his back like a cat would until he felt that hand stop at the base of his tail. His eyes had drifted shut so he missed the wicked smirk that grew on the other’s face.  
  
With a flex of his thumb, index, and middle fingers, Vegeta conjured up a small ki ring and allowed it to snap on at the base of Goku's tail.   
  
“Gahhh!” Goku cried out. “W-what did you d-do?!” Something was tingling at the base of his tail, just shy of actually vibrating. It was like a continual static shock that he couldn’t decide if it felt good or was going to drive him insane. He realized he couldn’t move. Vegeta’s hands rubbed at his back and down above the swell of his rear as Goku’s breathing sped up in his initial panic.   
  
“Shhh. Calm down, Karo. You trust me, right? This won’t hurt you, love. Just relax.” Vegeta soothed laying atop him like a blanket yet again and nuzzling into his neck. “I’m trying to show you that you can ask me anything. I don’t want you to move and try doing things yourself yet. Trust me to take care of you, Karo.” The beta mewled and nodded a moment later unable to verbalize his trust. Too many sensations were driving him crazy and that burning in his blood still hadn’t calmed down.   
  
“Now…” Vegeta smirked as he cupped his mate’s ass and rubbed it before he rubbed their hips together drawing a strangled groan from his helpless mate. “You asked me to touch you all over. Should I start here?” His hand returned to his mate’s ass as he absently traced circles with his finger. “Or here?” His hand sank into Kakarot’s mane and lightly scratched, just enough to turn his mate back into a puddle. “Or do you want me to touch here?” Feather soft touches drew mewling cries from the beta as Vegeta caressed his hips on either side while pressing his length against Karo’s cheeks.  
  
“Anaana…” Goku was in tears between the touches and the buzzing at the base of his tail.   
  
“I can touch you here too.” Kalious, his mate shouldn’t have a voice that sounds that sexy. He trembled and sweated as his mate turned his attention to the erratically twitching black limb.  
  
Vegeta watched the tail for a moment before reaching out to gently grasp it in his hand. He rubbed his other hand over the hip it still held when the beta's breath hitched. The alpha hummed a little as he brought the limb up to his face to rub it against his cheek. He allowed a brief moment of distraction as he felt the softness of black fur under his fingers and on his cheek before he turned his head to lick up from the halfway point to the tip.  
  
“AHHHH!” Goku's eyes were open wide as he shuddered from the sensation. He managed to bring his arms closer to his body with his hands clenched in fists before he once again became a boneless pile of shivering saiyan.  
  
The prince squeezed the submissive's left hip before he let it go so he could have both hands available to explore the other's tail. The fur had fluffed up again, and Vegeta enclosed his hand around the limb at the base then slowly pulled his arm towards him to help smooth the fur down. He did this a couple of times to get his mate use to his touch.  
  
Once he saw Kakarot's eyes become half lidded, he threaded the tail through his hands once again only this time the tips of his nails from both hands lightly scratched along the thin flesh hidden under the fur. He was rewarded with a loud shriek from the younger man and was slightly surprised when the body under him arched his back to try and get away from those hands.  
  
“Shhh, marama. You’ll feel good in a second.” Vegeta hushed the other as he bent down to sooth the scratched with more licks of his tongue. The alpha ran his tongue in the opposite direction of how the black fur laid so he could get better access to the scratched skin before smoothing it down once again. Once he got to the tip of the tail, the prince lightly closed his teeth around it.   
  
The beta seemed to stop breathing as soon as he felt the sharp point of one of Vegeta's fangs on the spot where the last vertebra was in his tail. Seeing the predicament that his mate was in, the dominant massaged the base of the tail just above the ki ring, and Goku's body shuddered with a keening cry.  
  
Vegeta tried to smirk around his mouthful and moved so he could nibble on that spot. He purred as he moved the furry limb in and out of his mouth leaving a few stinging nips before soothing the pain with the heat of his mouth.  
  
“Ge….please!” Goku keened unable to actually articulate words beyond please. It was too much. He couldn’t think as the sensations grew too much for the beta. His member throbbed painfully as it was pressed under him by his mate’s weight.   
  
“Does it feel good, love? Is this what you want? Or should I touch you somewhere else?” The alpha purred rocking his hips into Goku’s drawing another strangled cry of ecstasy from him.   
  
“H-h…” The buzzing on his tail robbed him of his breath along with the nibbles Vegeta was providing. He mewled, panting in need whining at the sensory overload that was becoming painful. Taking pity on the beta Vegeta released the limp black tail and knead his mate’s flesh around his tail and hips.   
  
“Maybe I can guess? Are you hot?” Warm breath sent shivers down Goku’s already quivering body. The beta whined as those hips rocked into him again before another mewl of need tore from his lips. Vegeta’s chuckle was maddening as the alpha’s tail brushed him.   
  
“Or do you like that?” He asked rubbing himself on the beta’s crease before his cock slipped between soft cheeks. Kakarot purred and twitched as his body fought to push back into the touch. He stopped after a moment straining to stop himself from going too far, but he didn't pull away. Karo hadn’t asked for more yet, the beta had to tell him otherwise this wouldn’t work. The desperate moan and weak shifting of his mate’s hips made him smirk.   
  
“H-hurts…ple….ana…” Vegeta raised an eyebrow unsure how to interpret that request. “Touch…m-me!” His tail fluffed and member twitched at the last two words. The alpha’s grin was feral as his mate weakly shivered beneath him. Grasping Kakarot’s hips he lifted the beta to his knees grinding against his ass once more holding him there. He saw what his beta wanted easily enough as Goku pressed against him as much as possible whimpering in desperation.   
  
“Oh that does look painful, love. Should I stroke it, use my tail......my lips?” Vegeta’s hand hovering a hair’s breath from his mate’s need. The prince’s arm was like a band of steel keeping the beta’s hips still while he strained to get the friction his body craved. In the back of his mind, the alpha wondered if he had pushed Kakarot too far and at the same time relishing in the fact he was able to do this to his mate with so little effort.   
  
Kakarot was so beautiful…pinned like this, completely at his mercy with no way of overpowering the alpha to get the release he obviously craved. Perhaps he could make a few more rings and keep him like this for the remainder of….

He growled as he fought to control himself. He was the Prince of Saiyans, he would not give into his base instincts and ruin his plans! Kakarot had to end it or this was for nothing….well not entirely at least.  
  
The submissive let out a sob that had Vegeta snapping back to the present. The lean body under his own was shaking from the pleasurable torture and tears were streaming down Goku's cheeks. Seeing just how much the submissive was overwhelmed, the older saiyan moved to settle more firmly on the other's back with one hand enclosing the beta's shaft.  
  
Goku let out a choked cry before it turned into a scream as the prince stroked the younger male into release just after a few quick tugs. His body shuddered in the aftermath, and the only thing keeping him on his knees was the iron grip Vegeta had on his waist. He whined as his mate kept stroking the sensitive length that had yet to soften, and he tried to curl in on himself to escape from both the hand on his cock and the ring on his tail.  
  
“Off…” The word was hoarse after he had screamed, and despite the release, his body still wanted more. “Ring…off. Want…you…need you…now…please.”

Vegeta could see the desperation in the beta's eyes, and he moved to nuzzle the side of his mate's face as he finally allowed the ki to vanish from the base of Goku's tail. A weak mewl was all that the younger man gave as the current finally went away, and he could feel some strength returning to his body.  
  
It was only now that he was able to register the sudden emptiness within his body, and the desire to be filled was overwhelming. Goku could feel the member trapped between his cheeks throb, and he rocked his hips back onto the alpha with a raspy purr in his throat. He could hear the older saiyan clench his teeth as he arched his neck to rub his cheek against the prince's.  
  
“Take me. Please, Ouji.”  
  
The dominant let out a deep growl over the words. He moved to grip both of his mate's hands together to keep him from moving once more as he fought to control himself. Smelling the spilled seed and spike in cinnamon from Goku had his control hanging by a thread, and hearing the words he wanted to was almost more than Vegeta could bare.  
  
The older man maneuvered their bodies so that Goku was almost sitting on the prince's lap while both were still on their knees. This allowed Vegeta to use both of his arms to grip his mate's wrists as he laid on the younger saiyan's back.

The alpha stared to roll his hips, and his cock slid between golden flesh in the submissive's crease. Slick was coating his cock and making everything feel just that more intense. A deep rumble came from Vegeta's chest as the head of his erection rubbed over the hot, little hole.  
  
He shifted so on his next glide, he was poised to enter delicious heat. The alpha remained still until he could feel the tight, furrowed bud open like a flower. With a groan, he slowly buried himself inside of Goku's heat.  
  
The beta’s mouth fell open as soon as he felt the blunt pressure, but he was too overwhelmed to make a sound. He shuddered as he sobbed in relief at finally being filled with his alpha's head resting on his marked shoulder. Goku arched his back as soon as he felt Vegeta bottom out, but a growl from the body above him made him still.  
  
Once the prince was certain that his mate would remain still, he moved so that he was on his hands and knees, hovering over the younger male. He took in the golden skin below him as he slowly pulled out before pushing back in. He wanted to see just how well the beta could take him.  
  
Even in the thrall of his instinctual mind, Vegeta refused to harm his mate.

When all he got were sighs and mewls of delight, Vegeta let out another growl as he started to speed up and intensify his thrusts. Soon he was pounding Goku into the floor with deep movements making the sound of flesh hitting flesh fill the room.  
  
The submissive let out a cry once he felt his sweet spot being battered. He tried to claw at the floor, but Vegeta just held down his wrists with a tight grip. He pulled his arms as he turned his head and managed to break free.   
  
Goku pulled his arms down do he could push off the floor with his arms, but a snarl from above, and a nip to his bond bite had him placid before he could do so. All he managed to do was get up on his elbows, that took every last bit of effort to remain on, then Vegeta was caging him in with firm grips on his wrists as he increased the pace of his hips.   
  
The alpha snarled again as soon as he was finished in fully restraining the beta. Vegeta's fangs flashed as he bit the mark Goku's neck and gave the younger saiyan a slight shake. This had the submissive whimpering as he froze and just took whatever the prince was willing to give him.  
  
The dominant could feel that neither he nor his mate would last very long with this coupling and the thrusts sped up to almost mind numbing. Vegeta had finally lost all semblance of control, and he lost any rhythm. His deep and power thrusts were becoming shorter, but they still jabbed against the beta's prostate.

Both saiyans could feel their climax just beyond reach, and Goku started to sob as it remained that way. The beta whined, he needed something to push him over the edge and his length ached to be touched. He yanked on one of his arms so he could stroke himself, but the prince would have none of that. His hands tightened their hold on his wrists making sure that bruises would be left from this mating.  
  
When the beta pulled again, Vegeta let out a loud growl and bit down harder on the bond bite making blood flood into his mouth. That sudden spark of pain mixed in with euphoria was enough to roughly shove Goku over the edge without a single touch to his cock.  
  
Goku's eyes clenched shut as his mouth fell open in a silent scream. With the older saiyan's teeth firmly embedded in his skin, he was paralyzed. The only thing he could do was ride out the storm with Vegeta still thrusting away into him.  
  
The prince moaned at the spicy taste that bloomed over his tongue. He swallowed a mouthful as he gave a few more sharp thrusts into the clinching heat before spilling his seed into his mate's channel. Another muffled groan came out of him, and he ground their hips together so every drop would stay within his Karo.  
  
Goku whined softly, panting heavily from all the exertion. His body went limp beneath the alpha before he softly purred feeling the burn in his blood fade a bit. Vegeta gently released his mate’s mark and proceeded to lick it tenderly with a deep rumble emanating from his chest. His body settled heavily atop his beta and he covered him as much as possible while setting them on the floor. Once all the blood was gone Vegeta nuzzled into Kakarot’s hair with a soft possessive growl as his tail wrapped firmly around his submissive’s waist.  
  
Goku mewled quietly as Vegeta shifted their hips before hesitantly rubbing his head against his prince, unsure if he was allowed to move now. The tender lick to his mark and satisfied rumble from the alpha drew a loud content sigh from his mate. The black tail wrapped tightly around the prince’s thigh as it fluffed in happiness.  
  
“Mine.” Vegeta growled possessively as he purred and nuzzled Goku’s neck. He kept the beta firmly under him as his instincts demanded. Kakarot simply let him, he felt content and pleased with his alpha. He felt safe and loved.   
  
“Ana…” the beta purred happily before he mewed again as their hips shifted. His skin was so sensitive he couldn’t help it. Vegeta softly growled and nuzzled his mate again to calm the beta’s trembling aftershocks.  
  
As they slowly came back to themselves Vegeta realized the floor of the dinning room was not an appropriate place for his mate to be. Placing a soft kiss on the beta’s neck he finally pulled out of his mate drawing a disappointed whimper from him. The alpha’s ego was stroked when his mate whined and tried to follow him not wanting to break contact. He purred and wrapped his mate in his arms and moved them to the fur rug by the living room fireplace before they spooned in front of the flames. Karo was purring contently while Vegeta continued to give attention to the fresh bite mark and then the bruises left behind on the beta’s wrists. He hadn’t meant to be so rough with Karo. The brushing of Kakarot’s tail on his own as they wound together with Karo laying utterly relaxed in his arms quickly drove away his guilt as exhaustion over came them both. Reaching behind him on the couch the alpha grabbed one of many blankets and a pillow, which he placed under Karo’s head before covering them both.   
  
Sunlight unexpectedly woke him up. Vegeta glanced about with one eye and noticed it was almost noon. He ignored everything around them in favor of his still sleeping mate. Karo was buried in his chest and purring softly as his chest rose and fell. The alpha gave a soft smile and basked watching his mate, his marama.  
  
He purred loudly and breathed his mate’s scent. The extra sweetness was still there but…muted a bit. Apparently their coupling had eased Karo’s heat enough his symptoms were letting him rest. Dark eyes trailed down to the empty expanse of Kakarot’s back. The scars were all really gone, not faded to where they were unseen but completely gone as if they were never there. His fingers absently traced the path of what had been the deepest of them taking in the smooth unblemished skin. Times like this, where he could watch Karo sleep…he wondered how he could love someone so much. He couldn’t imagine not having Karo at his side, even thinking of that possibility made him cold.  
  
The prince banished that line of thought with a shake of his head before breathing deep of his mate’s scent. He sneezed to get the stale scent of sweat and sex from his nostrils. That needed to be dealt with…..as well as what was left of their breakfast on both the table and dinning room floor apparently judging from what he could smell. Everything had gone cold, or warm in case of the juice. Karo could sleep while he dealt with that.  
  
Arms tightened around the alpha’s waist as he tried to sit up. Karo was clinging worse than a limpet….he thought that was the phrase Bulma used in reference to their son as a toddler anyways.  
  
“Karo, I’m just going to clean up. I won’t be far, love.” His fingers carded through the thick mane in an attempt to relax him.   
  
“Nuh…uhh.” Dark eyes rolled a bit at his mate’s childish behavior.   
  
“Karo…”  
  
“Smell good….and warm.” And with that the black tail wrapped around his waist. Vegeta wanted to face palm. His mate had apparently reverted to his nesting instincts again.  
  
“At least he’s not threatening to castrate me this time.” He muttered to himself as the beta’s breathing evened out again. Feeling playful the alpha leaned in and licked the shell of Goku’s ear. His mate squealed and bolted up pawing at the saliva he’d purposefully left behind.  
  
“Geeetaaa, that’s gross!”  
  
“You wouldn’t let go.” The alpha smirked in amusement before kissing him as he rose to his feet. Goku realizing they were still naked eeped and covered himself with the blanket. “No point in being shy about your body, love, not like I haven’t seen every inch of you.”  
  
“Ugh, what is that smell?” Goku voiced following Vegeta into the kitchen wrapping the blanked around himself anyways. He still didn’t like being unclothed but was not unappreciative of the nice view Geta was giving him. It made that warm heat creep in again.   
  
“Aftermath of our coupling….multiple times given this morning wasn’t the first.” Vegeta said calmly as he started putting away the food smirking at his mate’s blush. “I tried to let you sleep while I took care of it.”   
  
“I…I just really want to touch you.” Goku replied, a pink blush covering his face. “It feels good, kinda like when I was pregnant.”  
  
“I’m honestly not surprised. Just let me clean things up and we’ll cuddle all you want, love. Your heat is still going by the smell of it. You can go ahead to the hot spring if you like, get that bath you wanted earlier.” Vegeta said giving him a soft nuzzle and kiss before continuing to put away the food while taking bites here and there. Just because Kakarot wasn’t hungry didn’t mean that sex didn’t make him hungry. Goku bit his lip unsure while glancing at the hot spring door. He really wanted a bath but at the same time being that far from his alpha was bothering him.  
  
“Karo, I promise I’m not going anywhere, love. Go relax, I be in there in a moment….Unless you want another round in here before you bathe?” The prince stifled a laugh as Goku bolted into the hot spring room.  
  
+++KV+++  
  
A loud sigh left Goku as he sank down to his neck in the warm water. Vegeta had been right this felt amazing to his sore muscles. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this relaxed. He still felt hot despite the cold water he’d rinsed with before entering the spring like he was supposed to. He could feel that itch starting to sink back in but it was slow, almost lazy right now.   
  
Vegeta sat down in the hot water with a pleasured groan distracting him. The alpha was washing himself like Kakarot had done moments earlier, using one of several sponges. Goku gulped watching the warm water glide over Vegeta’s tan skin. That burn was coming back even harder now. He wanted to taste that skin much to his embarrassment and couldn’t help but lick his lips. Vegeta smelled that sudden sweet spike in Kakarot’s scent and knew the younger's reprieve was over for now. Those dark eyes watching his every move were already working on his own instincts. Despite the desire he could obviously smell from the beta, his mate still wasn’t coming over to him. It then occurred to him, Kakarot had never instigated something unless they were already cuddling or touching.   
  
“Come here, Karo.” Vegeta said softly, using his voice to elicit a response from his mate. The shiver that ran through the beta’s body and further spike in scent told him the low growl in his words had worked. Almost shyly the beta moved until he was standing in front of his alpha. Vegeta gently caressed his mate’s hips before pulling him to straddle his lap, the water stopping at their waists were they sat and kneeled on the bench.   
  
“Do you want to touch me, love?”  
  
Goku felt his face burn as his hands came to rest on the prince's shoulders to help keep his balance. He shifted as he looked away from the intense gaze of the older man, not answering the question.   
  
Dark eyes fell on a small drop of water that was resting on Vegeta’s collarbone. It slowly slipped down following the line of the bone. The trail it left beckoned the younger saiyan to follow it down the tanned skin. His hands tightened on the shoulders they held and the beta seemed to shrink in on himself a little while biting his lip.  
  
“Marama,” Vegeta purred as he rubbed his hands down the thighs on either side of his waist in an effort to help the other relax. “It's alright, love. Relax.”  
  
The dominant lifted one of his hands to gently take ahold of Goku's right arm. He guided the hand so it was resting on his chest with the palm spread as wide as it could go. He allowed his purr to deepen as he let go to rest both of his arms on the edge of the spring.   
  
The beta could feel his skin tingle as his hand rested over his mate's heart. He focused on the strong thumping and moved his eyes from the water to look at the prince's face. Seeing the encouraging expression there, he slowly moved his fingers over the large pectoral muscle. His own purr built in his chest and he brought his other hand up to touch the other muscle. The skin was warm and satiny under his fingers. It felt so good. Kakarot purred and rubbed more firmly against that skin.  
  
His fingers followed the dips and valleys both above and below the water line. The submissive could feel the strength hidden under tanned skin. Goku always knew that Vegeta was strong, and it made him feel a little lightheaded at the thought that an alpha with that much power belonged to him. His purr deepened as his hands swept up over the older man’s chest.  
  
Vegeta growled softly in arousal as his mate explored his chest before he leaned forward and claimed Goku’s mouth in a kiss. He was enjoying letting the beta explore, and he knew that he would have to do this again when the other wasn't under the influence of a preheat.  
  
The submissive followed him as he leaned back and rubbed his chest against Vegeta’s with a content sigh. His nose brushed the alpha’s shoulder giving him a heavy dose of that intoxicating spicy clove scent. He shivered with a whine before breathing deep again needing more of that scent. Goku didn’t know but his pupils were blown as the scent and pheromones took hold of the beta.   
  
“That’s right, Karo. Feels good.” Vegeta purred sliding his hands down to Kakarot’s hips to help hold the beta steady and encourage him to keep going. The beta’s hands slid down to rest on his mate’s abs as he finally licked at the dark skin that had been beckoning him. The satisfied rumble from his alpha’s chest encouraged him to continue. He reached his bite mark and began licking it repeatedly. Goku in his hazy mind remembered just how good it felt. It must have a similar effect on his mate. He needed more though, just licking that skin wasn’t enough. Pressing closer the beta gently scraped his teeth over the scar and was rewarded with a soft growl and Vegeta shifting his head to the side to give him more room.   
  
Goku attacked that spot with licks and soft nips losing himself in the warm haze surrounding his mind. The smell of cloves was overwhelming, and he couldn’t get enough of it as he buried his nose in the alpha’s skin between licks and nips. Under the skin was a sweeter spice just waiting that the older male’s skin only hinted at and the beta wanted it so badly.   
  
Long fangs pierced the sensitized skin and blood flooded into Goku’s mouth as he eagerly swallowed his prize. Vegeta’s loud groan broke whatever spell was on him, startling him enough to release the skin in his mouth and jump away afraid he had done something wrong. Hands grabbed his hips with bruising force keeping him from retreating as their dark eyes met. A low growl from Vegeta commanded the beta to continue as his own white fangs peeked from beneath his lips. With a soft whine Goku looked away from his mate’s smoldering eyes with a blush and resumed tasting his mate’s flesh eager to please his alpha and get more of that wonderful blood.   
  
The submissive purred as he licked the crimson fluid not wanting to miss a single drop of it. As the spicy sweet taste burst over his tongue, Goku let out a growl as he moved his hands to grip at the prince's shoulders so he could get closer.   
  
The prince purred as the licks over his bond bite sent shudders down his spine. His hands slid up honeyed skin a few times before one buried itself in thick black spikes while the other moved under the water to cup Karo’s rear. He gave the soft mounds a squeeze that made the submissive start to rotate his hips. Dual groans came from the saiyans as this made their lengths rub against each other.  
  
Goku had finished cleaning the blood from the prince's shoulder, but he wasn't done with getting more. His mouth closed over the bite mark and sucked on the patch of skin to coax more out of his teeth marks. His efforts were rewarded with a few more drops that made him shiver as he tasted them. He pressed closer to his mate only to be distracted by another sensation.  
  
He felt the hard member of the older man against the cheeks of his ass, and that brought another craving that sent his mind reeling. As he buried his face in the crook of Vegeta's neck, the beta wiggled his hips to feel the heavy cock brush against him. He mewled as he felt it wedge into his crease. An unexpected hunger roared within him to feel his alpha take him had Goku pushing harder against Vegeta in an effort to fulfill that need.  
  
Vegeta rumbled lowly in his chest before grabbing his mate’s hips to hold him still drawing whimpers from the needy beta. He pacified the beta by claiming his lips with a hungry kiss before his tail brushed Karo’s length. He had every intention of taking the beta but not yet. Karo wasn’t ready. The wet fur made the beta pant as his hips tried to thrust into that sensation, his mate’s length still pressed into his crease and driving him crazy.   
  
“Do you want me, Karo? To feel me inside you?” He asked shifting his hips to make the beta mewl. Vegeta found his own eyes rolling back as the temptation to plunge into his mate intensified. Goku found himself about to drown in the heady scent of cloves and couldn’t stop the urge to touch himself. The low moan from those soft lips was one of the sexiest things Vegeta had ever heard in his lifetime. Hips twitched in Vegeta’s hold and both men groaned at the enjoyable sensations. The alpha leaned in and gave Goku’s ear a gentle nip.  
  
“Touch yourself for me, marama.” The words were gentle as he rolled their hips. “Can you feel what you do to me?” Kakarot moaned with his head thrown back as Vegeta teased him.  
  
The beta slid one hand down from the prince's shoulders over a well defined chest to slip under the water. The tips of his fingers felt over cobblestone abs, and the muscles trembled at his delicate touch. Once the heel of his hand brushed his own arousal, Goku abandoned his trail to wrap his fingers around himself.  
  
Vegeta let out a growl at the sight of his mate's face as the submissive bucked his hips forward to drive his cock into his own grip. The blissful look almost had the prince pull back to watch the younger saiyan bring himself to completion, but the rocking motion had his own length demanding to be in a tighter location. He allowed the submissive to play for a moment while trying to reign in his own desire when Karo did something unexpected.  
  
Goku pulled on his member as he used his weight to grind back on the firm column of flesh behind him. The emptiness within him was demanding to be filled so he let go of his cock to reach behind him to pull the alpha out from between his cheeks. The body under him jumped, but the beta didn't notice as he shifted his body so that his hole was over the member in his hand.  
  
“Karo-!” Vegeta tried to say before he was enveloped in tight heat. He snarled as his mate let out a cry that held satisfaction once the older man was fully seated within his body. His hands gripped the hips they were holding before to keep Goku still so he could adjust to the sudden entrance.  
  
“Ah! O…ouji…!” The beta moaned out as he managed a slight wiggle of his hips that made the hands on him grip tighter. The burning in his blood had lessen, but his body still wanted more. His tail whipped behind them sending water drops flying in the air, and he moved his hands to Vegeta's shoulders to anchor himself. “Pl…please!” The word was muffled as Goku buried his face in the crook of his mate's neck.  
  
The dominant's hips snapped up before he was fully aware of what he was doing, and the mewling cry that sounded right by his ear had his head falling back as he gave another rough thrust up in that heat. A deep growl rumbled in the prince's chest like a purr as he used his hands to move the beta in time with his thrusting until Karo was riding him. Water started to slosh around and over the saiyans, but neither paid it any mind as they lost themselves in each other.  
  
The younger saiyan quickly picked up the rhythm and was soon moving without prompting. It was a different experience that, in his hazed filled mind, Goku was enjoying. The only issue was that he couldn't hit his sweet spot directly, and Vegeta wasn't allowing him to shift the angle of his thrusts. He let out a sob filled with pleasure and frustration as his prostate was only grazed every time the prince drove himself in.  
  
The alpha snarled as he felt his submissive try to move in his hold once more, and he nipped at an ear to warn Goku from doing that once again, mindful of the deep hot spring behind his mate. His mind finally registered the whining and sobbing and he realized he wasn't thrusting at the correct angle for his mate's pleasure. His growling purr softened some as he licked the mark in apology while shifting his hips making the beta mewl. On his next thrust, he hit the beta's sweet spot head on.  
  
Goku let out a loud wail as his head snapped back in shock at the sudden rush that zapped up his spine and raked his nails over Vegeta's shoulders and upper back. He dropped down harder on the next roll of their hips, and the pleasure had the younger saiyan clawing at his alpha's back in a vain effort to ground himself, but he couldn't get a good grip on the wet skin. His forehead came to rest on Vegeta's shoulder as the pair got closer to release.  
  
The alpha hissed as the marks on his back stung before the warm spring soothed them, but he made no move to stop the younger male as he used his hands to stop the submissive from thrusting once again. The whimper of protest was choked off as he began a harsher rhythm while keeping Goku still. He was so close, and he could tell his mate was as well. Vegeta was so focused on chasing his climax that the feeling of fangs driving into his mark made him cry out in surprise. The pleasure of the bite was so great that he followed suit as the channel around him convulsed signaling Goku's release.  
  
Karo released the flesh in his mouth to throw his head back as he fell over the edge. He screamed out the prince's name and felt another shudder run through him as liquid heat spilled inside his body. His nails scratched over Vegeta's shoulders until they finally found a hold as he lost himself in another orgasm once the alpha bit him back. The sensation was so great that Goku slumped against the older saiyan as he fell into unconsciousness.  
  
The bond between them flared with new life as it was resealed by blood and love. The sudden shock of it knocked the breath out of Vegeta as he pulled out of his mate’s body, and he nearly fell over into the water before managing to catch himself on the edge of the spring. Kalious that had been intense. He smirked at he unconscious mate, they really would have to work on his stamina so this didn’t happen every time he had a heat. Tenderly he brushed Kakarot’s damp bangs to the side and kissed the beta who sighed in his sleep and cuddled closer to him, his nose buried into the prince’s shoulder.   
  
Rather than try climbing out of the slippery spring he simply flew them out, holding his Karo securely. With the bond blazing so newly he couldn’t bring himself to even relax his hold. Karo was his, his mate, his beta. The prince shifted Kakarot to better hold him and cut off the lights before leaving the room.   
  
They settled into the nest and Vegeta smiled completely relaxed as he watched him mate instinctively seek him out, his loud purr calming and serene. Karo was going to be out the rest of the day judging from his already deep and even breathing. The last thing he wanted was to wake Karo up to leave in a few hours or take him from the safety of the nest.  
  
“I wonder if Bardock and Bulma can watch the boys one more night.” He mused aloud trying to remember where he left that scouter or phone Bulma put in the house.

 


	60. Chapter 60

“So don’t be a stranger alright, Goku?” Bulma asked as she pulled the beta in a big hug with tears in her eyes. The whole group had gathered on the Lookout for the saiyans to leave. It had been an emotional few days, but they needed to go back to Vegetasei.   
  
“Don't worry, Bulma. It's not like we'll never see each other again. We'll be able to visit more often now with the gate. Just if you come, be careful. The gravity is stronger than here on Earth.” Goku smiled at the blue haired woman. He rubbed her back before they let go of each other.   
  
“You better! And remember to bring Trunks with you too! I don't want to wait another year to see my son!” She glared at Goku and Vegeta as she said this. “I understand he'll have duties and lessons, but I want to spend time with him too! Do you hear me, Vegeta?!”  
  
“Fine, woman!” The prince growled as he huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He glared at the blue haired female with a scowl on his face. “For the love of Tarro, you act like I'm going to take him away from you!”  
  
“We'll make sure to schedule his time, Ms. Bulma.” Tarble stepped in before the pair descended into another verbal disagreement. “Trunks will have lots to do, but we can work in some free time for him to stay with you.”   
  
Bulma sighed as she nodded to the younger prince. Her blue eyes glanced over to the two boys saying goodbye to Piccolo before they came over to her. She pulled the older boy to stand in front of her and hugged him tight.  
  
“Trunks, you be good and make sure you pay attention to your instructors…unless they don't know what they're talking about.” The two had a slight laugh over that. “Come and see me at least once a month, you hear me!?” He held a finger up between them as tears gathered in her eyes again.  
  
“Don't worry, mom. I will! And you can come see me too! You'd love Grandpa Bardock's lab! It's amazing!” The cub beamed up at the woman making her feel less sad than before. “It got to be almost as big as yours!”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. Just make sure to let me know first.” Bardock said from beside Goten as he handed Vegito over to Goku. “I'll have up the language translations up so you can understand what I'm working on.”  
  
The woman's eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth to fire back a smartass remark when Goten tugged on her hand. He fidgeted and rubbed one foot behind the opposite leg as she kneeled down at his level. He peeked from under his bangs to see her smiling face and he launched himself to give her a hug too.  
  
“Goodbye, Bulma. Thanks for helping Tama.”  
  
“You're welcome, Goten. Next time, tell them to hurry up and not drag their feet when they need help.” She said tapping the cub in the nose as she leaned back. Goten giggled and threw himself back in her arms. He always liked Trunks's mom.   
  
"Please come visit, Auntie Bulma." The little cub softly said in her ear. "They all miss you. It would make Tama and Daddy happy. Trunks too." The blue haired woman found herself tearing up and wiped her eyes quickly and hugged the little beta back.   
  
"Sure thing, kiddo. Don't be a stranger yourself. You're always welcome here, sweetheart. Chichi won't ever get to you here so don't let that stop you from visiting with Trunks. Remember, we'll have some new kittens that will need names next month." His eyes lit up and the little tail wagged happily.   
  
"Yeah! Ok!" He chirped. "Bye, Auntie Bulma!" He ran back over to Goku and wrapped himself around the beta's leg already asking to visit when the kittens were there.   
  
"Bulma." Vegeta was in front of her and wrapped her in his arms. "Take care of yourself." He said softly. "Let me know if anyone gives you trouble you can't handle. Call us anytime."  
  
"You know me. There's not much out of my capabilities after dealing with you and raising Trunks. And there's so many shenanigans from the years of running around Goku..."  
  
"I know." Vegeta chuckled. "Seriously, call us for anything. We both miss you. Kakarot needs his friends even if he's scared to let you know everything. And I promise Trunks will come home much more often if I have to kill some of his teachers to make it happen."  
  
“Oh, you don't need to go that far, you crazy saiyan.” The blue haired woman smiled at the prince. She turned her attention back to the rest of the group. “You take care of yourselves too, alright? I want you guys to come back in a couple of months for Gohan’s party. We'd like to celebrate here too you know!”  
  
“I promise, Bulma.” Goku was quick to respond to his surrogate sister. He could see his oldest son was rubbing the back of his head in slight embarrassment out of the corner of his eye as Tarble questioned when his birthday was. “Father will work on a communication relay to let you know in advance when we are coming.”  
  
“Oh! That's a great idea!” Bulma clapped her hands together with a smile on her face. “I should work on one too! I haven't had a side project in awhile.”  
  
“Please,” Bardock huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. “There's no need for you to bother. I'll have that done in a couple of weeks….two months tops.”  
  
“Oh really?” Blue eyes narrowed at the green clad saiyan. “It'll take you that long? I'm sure I can get it done in half the time.” Bulma placed her hands on her hips as she smirked at the larger man.  
  
“Is that a challenge?” Bardock's brow quirked up with a small feral smile playing on his lips. He liked the fire this woman had.  
  
“Oh boy.” Raditz rubbed a hand over his face as the genius pair stared each other down. Goku resisted in joining him as he watched as well. “Kakarot, can't you get her to shut up? Now it'll take both of us to pry him out of his lab.”  
  
“He's not that bad.” Goku muttered halfheartedly. The long haired warrior only gave the beta a look, and the younger saiyan cringed. “Right….never mind.”   
  
“Uh huh. He's still trying to figure out just how those capsule things work.” Raditz rolled his eyes skyward. “He almost destroyed a part of his lab when he tried to reverse engineer one that the boys showed him before we came here. I had to physically drag him out so he could sleep.”  
  
“Got it.” The younger walked up to Bardock and placed a hand on his shoulder, marking the alpha look back at him. “Father, we need to go. Geta needs to get back to the palace, remember?”  
  
“Right.” The older man huffed and looked slightly disappointed. He looked back at Bulma. “Three weeks, woman. Be prepared to hand over those propulsion blueprints.”  
  
“Humph. I'll call you in two for the formula for your healing tanks, commander.” Bulma smiled as she crossed her arms.  
  
Raditz pulled the older alpha away before another disagreement broke out. He was surprised that he managed to do so, but it probably helped that his younger brother was right beside him.   
  
“Bye, you guys, take care!” Krillin shouted while every one waved. Goku smiled back at his friends and shifting Vegito in his arms while Vegeta’s arm slipped around his waist in front of the portal. As much as he loved Earth, it wasn’t his home anymore.  
  
“Let’s go home, Geta.”   
  
++VK++  
  
“What do you mean you’re leaving?!” Vegeta all but shouted as he jumped up from the couch. His father had surprised them with this meeting after dinner once the cubs were put to bed for the night. Goku’s gentle touch calmed him enough that the prince sat back down. “Explain.”  
  
“Precisely that.” K.Vegeta calmly replied. He wasn’t surprised his son was shocked. No ruler had left the planet in generations. “Your trip to Earth and Gohan’s idea to forge an alliance between our two worlds once he ascends his throne has made me realize that perhaps we should do the same.”  
  
“Father, the PTO still exists. If they know the saiyan race was somehow revived…”  
  
“Which is why I propose making allies. As a race we need to fight, its in our blood but staying in isolation will kill us even faster I believe. We haven’t been a self sustaining planet since we achieved the ability to venture among the stars. All of our technology, our ships, a good deal of our medicine comes from off world, another side effect of Frieza’s control. Further more our race is but a handful with many jobs and stills grossly under represented. As is it our planet can survive several years or so with current stockpiles thanks to what Kakarot’s dragon gave us but ultimately we will run out if nothing is done.”   
  
“I understand that, father.” The prince said as he narrowed his eyes at his father. “My only concern is why you must leave to do this. Our planet and people are not completely stable enough for you to leave. We need to have you here to guide us.”  
  
“I'm not leaving our people unattended. You are going to be ruling in my stead.” The older alpha gave Vegeta an amused look. “I have full confidence that you will be the leader our people need while I'm gone.”  
  
The prince blinked as those words sank into his mind, and he felt the stirrings of fear in his heart. While he had always been the Prince of Saiyans it had only been over a small handful of warriors. He had only started his lessons when Frieza took him from his family and destroyed the planet, and he had no idea how to run a planet. Ever since he came back, he'd been too busy with other things to start his lessons again.  
  
“Geta, this is a good idea.” Goku softly spoke to his mate as soon as he caught the slightly alarmed expression he had.   
  
“We need to start working out a way to establish trade with other planets while we have the time to do so. Your father needs to be the one to instigate the talks so others know that we are taking this seriously.”  
  
Vegeta looked over at his mate thinking on the wisdom the beta just spoke, but he still felt unsure that he was the right person for this. He was about to voice his thoughts when Goku gripped his hand and squeezed it.   
  
“Anaana, you will not be alone during this. I will be here to help you, and so will your brother. I've been learning how to take care of things, and I can teach you as we go.” The submissive gave the alpha a brilliant smile that made Vegeta's heart swell with affection. “Never believe that you are alone.”  
  
“Kakarot is right, Vegeta.” The king spoke up before his sone could say anything. “As soon as he came to the palace, Kakarot has been taking lessons just in case he needed to rule before the heir was old enough.”  
  
"You did all that?" Vegeta said stunned. His mate blushed furiously before staring at his lap and fisting his pants.   
  
“Indeed, he's quite the learner too.” The king smiled gently at the submissive. “He picked up considerable amounts of information very quickly.”  
  
“I wouldn't say that…” Goku muttered under his breath, but both alphas managed to still hear the words if the amused looks were any indication. The younger male tried to banish the heat in his cheeks as he brought the others back on topic. “So what do we need to plan out for your trip?”  
  
The prince listened to his mate and father talk about what needed to be done for the next couple of hours, and all he could think about was just how lucky he was to have his Karo with him.  
  
++VK++  
  
"Are you mad?" The beta asked softly later that night as they lay together in bed. Vegeta could feel the tension in his mate as his dark eyes widened in surprise at Kakarot's question.

"Karo, why would I-" It suddenly dawned on him. He had spent years boasting of his birthright to the beta.   
  
"No, Karo. I'm not mad, love." Vegeta said gently making sure the beta was looking at him so he could see the alpha was truly sincere.   
  
"Really? I mean I know how important it was to you, being the prince and heir.... I wasn't trying to take that from you I promise. I just...." Vegeta took his mate's hand in his and gently kissed the back of it.   
  
"You wanted to be prepared. It's all right, Karo, I understand. If father hadn't sent that message, I might have never learned our world was revived. I'm not mad, Karo, I promise. I'm just glad one of us knows what we're doing." Goku blushed before running his head under his mate's chin.   
  
"You'll be better than me that's for sure. I don't enjoy the political side of things. I'm good at the easier tasks, getting food and stuff. Who knew working on a farm when I was a kid would come in handy?”  
  
The dominant saiyan chuckled as he pulled the younger male closer to his chest. He used one hand to cup his mate’s chin and raised his head so that he could place a kiss on those sweet lips. He relished in the mew he received as he pulled back.  
  
“Oh marama, what would I do without you?”  
  
+++VK+++  
  
Turles growled as he hauled his weakened body up the face of the cliff side towards the fruiting bush. The last food and water he found ran out two days ago rendering him unable to fly between that and his poorly healed injuries.   
  
“All….most….there.” His fingers brushed one of the bright orange gourd like fruits right as the handhold he was using gave way sending him tumbling back down. The former pirate screamed and closed his eyes, bracing for impact and possibly death when he felt the stone under him give way and drop him into darkness. Turles crashed into a pool of freezing water. He burst from the surface and hauled himself out of the pool before drinking deeply of the life giving water before flopping onto his back.   
  
He panted and groaned in pain as the marks on his back throbbed in protest under his weight. He shifted so that he could sit up and saw a rock nearby. He pulled himself closer so that he could lean against the rock, wincing as the skin around the deeper cuts on his body pulled on the scars.  
  
As soon as he sagged against the rock, he looked around to see where he had landed. As far as he knew, there shouldn't be any underground lakes this far in the Wastes. The light coming through the hole his body made hit the water in just the right angle that it lit the cave somewhat.   
  
Although, calling this a cave was a huge understatement, and the alpha's jaw dropped in wonder as he took in what was a massive cavern that seemed to have a temple that was had fallen into ruins. The light off the water did a poor job in illuminating the cave, but he could see broken walls, columns, and doorways.  
  
“A temple? What's a temple doing out here?” The pirate asked himself as he hauled his body up to stand by using the rock as leverage. His previous exhaustion was temporary forgotten as his curiosity compelled him forward.   
  
The building was made of a black stone that seemed to absorb light. Round and smooth columns supported beams that flared up in points at the ends. He ran a hand over one of the broken supports, and Turles shivered at how cold the stone felt. It seemed odd to the saiyan that a stone would feel so chilled being in the desert. It was only slightly cooler in the cavern so it shouldn't feel this cold, not with the blistering heat of the day bearing down outside.  
  
Turles stopped at the doorway, which was a simple opening, and he looked into the darkness. He hesitated at the door wary of anything else that might have made its way down here, but another compulsion urged him forward. He lifted a hand, and to his surprise, a small orb of blue ki flickered to life. It provided just enough light for him to see where he was going.   
  
The temple was larger on the inside than it looked from by the lake. Rounded columns were scattered throughout the building to hold up the roof, which was mostly intact. Turles came close to one and ran a hand over it, and while he felt the same coldness as the ones outside, there were also carvings on it.   
  
He held the ki orb closer to the column to see the details better, but the ball started to shudder where it floated over his palm. The pirate let out a yelp as the ki shot out of his hand and was absorbed by the stone, plunging the room into darkness. He staggered back a couple steps, and his foot got caught on a piece of rubble.  
  
“Shit!” Turles shouted as he fell and landed on his back. Small rocks dug into his tender back making the pain flare before his attention was drawn to a light. The column he had been standing beside was lighting up.  
  
The alpha watched speechless as the carvings lit up showing ruins in a language Turles couldn't understand. The light slowly spread upward until it came to the ceiling and moved along lines to the rest of the poles in the room. Soon the entire temple was bathed in a blue light from those glowing letters, and the saiyan looked around in bewilderment.   
  
There was only debris from the crumbling roof of the temple and pools of water that looked to have been there since the place was built, but Turles could see another room behind the columns. He couldn't make out any details because none of the light had gone that far.   
  
The alpha’s eye caught something on the first column that glowed, and the sight made his cheek throb. He got to his feet and stood in front of the glowing ruin. A line ran straight down the center of the symbol with a completed diamond shape on the top half of the letter. On the bottom half, there was only three sides of the diamond. The bottom left line was missing.  
  
He snarled and glared at that symbol because it was the same one that had been burned onto his cheek as a mark of his exile, reminding the pirate how he got here. The growl from his throat echoed in the chamber.   
  
**_There is darkness in you._**  
  
“Who’s there?!” Turles called out ready to defend himself and caught sight of a darker shadow out of the corner of his eye. He tried to follow it, but it was too fast for him to keep sight of it.  
  
**_You have been wronged, my child._** The feminine voice whispered in his ear as the ghostlike sensation of a hand brushed across his shoulders. Instantly he was filled with a sense of relief as his scars and cuts finally stopped hurting. **_Do you want to make them pay? Make them regret casting you out like trash? Make them regret the brand they gave you? I can help you._**  
  
Turles narrowed his eyes as he listened to the shapeless being. Vegeta and Bardock took Kakarot away from him. He never even got a chance to talk to that beautiful beta except for that one time, and his blood burned with desire for the submissive. Kakarot hadn’t had the chance to say yes or even no to him.   
  
**_Oh, yes._** Here the voice seemed to giggle, and the alpha felt on edge at hearing that delicate sound. **_I can help you with that as well. Soon, all that you dream shall come to fruition. I can give you all that you desire, my child. I can give you Kakarot._**  
  
The pirate couldn't help the interested noise he made, slowly turning until he spotted a darker shadow. Everything it promised sounded like music to his ears, but he was no fool. Nothing was free and the pirate knew there was some kind of catch.   
  
But he had nothing left to lose. He couldn’t enter any city and live, he had no supplies, he couldn’t leave the planet and his injuries at the hands of Vegeta and the half-breed made moving excruciating even months later.   
  
_Vegeta_.   
  
He wanted to make the cocky princeling bleed, strip everything away from the bastard like they had done to him. He wanted to be the one standing beside Kakarot watching their cubs as they grow. With a feral grin, the saiyan crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
“How?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that, ladies and gentlemen is the end of the story! It's been over a year, but Serradragon and I have finally managed to complete it! Please stay tuned for the sequel, Keeping Love!
> 
> Thanks for all your support!


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